Having hauled themselves into position to challenge for promotion again, Dundee HSFP head for the Borders, conscious that they need to keep their outstanding run going.
High have now won three in a row in the league, all with try bonuses, to lie just three points off the second promotion slot.
The last of those was the handsome defeat of leaders Boroughmuir, a result and performance that confirmed the club were a major threat in this division.
However, there’s a chance that the fractured nature of the new RBS Leagues schedule clearly designed to minimise disruption by the worst of the winter weather could mess with the momentum.
Saturday’s meeting with Kelso at Poynder Park and the key home match against Watsonians on the pre-Christmas weekend are the only league fixtures between now and the end of January.
Still, there’s considerable resolve at Mayfield, with Colin Robertson naming a team with only one change young second rower James Mulligan replacing the unavailable Chris Cumming from the team that defeated Boroughmuir.
“The players are desperate to follow up the Boroughmuir win with a similar performance against a strong Kelso team,” said Robertson.
“We have a clear approach for this game, continuing to build our consistency with the added desire from all of continuing our good form.”
Dundee won the earlier meeting of the sides 21-12 but despite some odd results this season crushing losses to GHA, Stewarts Melville and Boroughmuir but a win over Watsonians Kelso are a tough outfit at Poynder Park.
The championship remains a tight three-way race with Jed-Forest’s win at Musselburgh two weeks ago the first by one of the three on their opponents’ patch. It draws Jed and Howe of Fife to within five points of the leaders with a game in hand.
Howe will be wary of their trip to Aberdeenshire despite their 92-0 deluge in the first meeting of the teams as Shire defeated Falkirk in the Caley Cup.
However, nothing is likely to change in this triangular battle until Howe host Musselburgh on January 25, and the whole contest could come down to bonus points.
Kirkcaldy, safely perched in mid-table, had to call off their match with Dundee in the Caley Cup but will be back to a full complement for the visit of Murrayfield Wanderers to Beveridge Park.
In Caledonia Division One, Perthshire’s bonus point in their 50-point romp over Gordonians took them a point clear at the top again, but Dunfermline’s win, without conceding a try, at fast-rising Caithness was definitely the result of the round of games a fortnight ago.
With Orkney in third likely to keep the pressure on at Ellon, Shire and Dunfie can’t afford any slip-ups with the men from the Fair City having the tougher assignment away to Strathmore.
Morgan picked up their first away league win of the season at St Andrews University and host Caithness at Alloway Terrace.
Hillfoots’ smooth progress to the Division Two Midlands title 10 wins from 10 and a seven-point lead faces probably its last major test with the visit of second-placed Harris to Tillycoultry.
The Dundee side are unbeaten, with seven wins and a draw since their loss to Foots in September, but the home side will be clear favourites.