With the quarter-finals going the way of Premier One clubs in last week’s Scottish Hydro Premier Cup, all three of the beaten Midlands teams get back to rearranged fixtures but with plenty still at stake.
Stirling County, in Division Two, are at Peebles knowing that two wins from their last three games will see them crowned champions, their return to the top league already confirmed.
It’ll be no easy task with as many as four of Stirling County’s young stars being seconded to the Scotland Under-19 team for the next couple of weeks, all of them playing against Italy this weekend.
Stuart Edwards will be captain and has kept the highly-rated Duncan Weir, who has already played Under-20 international rugby and won a contract with Glasgow, out of the stand-off role.
Meanwhile, Robbie Boswell, Glenn Bryce and Danny Gilmour are all in the team.
Howe of Fife suffered a hard lesson at the hands of Currie in the cup last week, losing 75-7, and they enter the final stretch of the Premier Three season needing someone to do them a favour if they are to get promotion.
Falkirk have taken pole position to join Hillhead Jordanhill with a point lead over Howe and a game in hand, and the Cupar side have to keep winning starting with the tricky trip to a resurgent Hamilton this week.
Falkirk, meanwhile, head to Dundee to take on Morgan who remain capable of beating anyone on their day, as they did to Howe only a few weeks ago.
Perthshire gave the best display of the three Midlands quarter-finalists in giving Melrose an almighty scare, and there’s been no question they have been the form side of the last couple of months.
A significant test perhaps with next season in mind comes this week when the Hills Jills are at the North Inch, having already clinched promotion and now seeking to add the Premier Three title.
Everything remains uncertain in Caledonia One, where Strathmore’s hopes of biting into their backlog of games suffered a blow when St Andrews University couldn’t fulfil Wednesday night’s fixture, and matters will be determined by the SRU.
Strathie look to maintain their pursuit of Orkney, who have a week off, against Aberdeen University at Inchmacoble.
In Caley Two Midlands the 10-10 draw between Carnoustie and Harris leaves neither as favourites for the title and Fife Southern are still in the mix.
Should they defeat Carnoustie in Rosyth tomorrow then they will become real title contenders, especially since Harris have so many games to squeeze in between now and the end of the season.
Scottish Hydro League matches this weekend:
Premier Two: Dunfermline v Gala, Biggar v Kirkcaldy, Peebles v Stirling County.
Premier Three: Perthshire v Hillhead Jordanhill, Morgan Academy FP v Falkirk, Hamilton v Howe of Fife.
Caledonia One: Madras v Grangemouth, Stirling University v Ross Sutherland, Glenrothes v Crieff & Strathearn, Strathmore v Aberdeen University.
Caledonia Two Midlands: Alloa v Arbroath, Harris Academy FP v Atholl, Blairgowrie v Panmure, Stobswell v Waid Academy, Fife Southern v Carnoustie HSFP.