Stalwart Murray hits Highland milestone

Stephen Murray, known to all within rugby circles as Scuba, dived straight into life in Highland’s youth set-up well over two decades ago – and now he has reached the milestone of 300 senior first-team appearances for the club.

The 35-year-old loosehead prop made it to the impressive figure by playing in the National League Cup first round tie away to Watsonians last Saturday.

The result did not go Highland’s way, but it was still a special day for Murray and his family and his commitment to the cause with the Inverness club is as fierce as ever.

“I started at Highland in the under-13 team and have been involved ever since,” Murray said.

“It was really good fun playing with my mates and moving up the agegrades together. I left school at 16 and, after one more year in the youth set-up, was catapulted into senior rugby aged 17.

“As a young prop that period was certainly eyeopening and I was coming up against much more experienced frontrowers, for example I remember playing against former Scotland hooker Kevin McKenzie, and it was a steep learning curve, but one that I was glad to be on.

“That was in 2006 and the club were in the old National Three then and, apart from injuries, I have been in and around the first-team squad ever since pretty much.

“Highland really are one big family, and that has been at the forefront of me playing for so many years.

“Every time we go out on the pitch we know we are representing everybody associated with the club and the local community, so we don’t take that lightly.”

In terms of highlights while wearing a Highland jersey, there have been many for Murray with the National Bowl final victory over Glenrothes at Broadwood back in 2014 right up there.

Two years later, Highland were at Murrayfield playing in the National Shield final against Carrick and although they lost, Murray said: “Playing at the national stadium for Highland was a bit of a dream really.

“We’d obviously have liked a positive result, but seeing so many folk down from Inverness in the stands cheering us on was something special.”

Stephen Murray has notched up 300 senior first-team appearances in his Highland playing career.