The 2017 fixtures were announced on Thursday (22nd December) and with one Top 6 spot still to be decided, Thomson's league leaders now know what stands in their way from lifting silverware at the end of the campaign.

Ahead of the split, Gala YM head to the Capital on the 7th January followed by the short trip to Inverleith Park to take on Edinburgh Northern a week later.

With 5 out of the 6 spots already confirmed, the Top 6 ties are as follows:

21/01 Trinity (h)
28/01 Northern (h) or Leith (a)
11/02 Hawick (a)
18/02 Portobello (a)
04/03 Dalkeith (h)

Speaking after the fixtures were released by the League Committee, the Head Coach said, "The split is fair I think, a reverse of the first round of matches. January is a massive month with potentially two games against Northern and what promises to be a humdinger against Trinity at home.

"We will need to be at the top of our game right through and that begins on the training pitch every week. We will be a target for every team and they will want to knock us off the top, that's only natural. Our cushion isn't such that we can afford to drop any points as the other sides will pounce on any slip-ups."

Undefeated in the competition to date, Thomson knows his side have to be mentally - and physically - in shape to build on a successful season so far.

Thomson added, "The team knows what is at stake and our mentality is that we all work hard for each other at training and for the full 80 minutes on the pitch each Saturday. Winning the league remains our target and to do it unbeaten would be a fantastic achievement - but there is still a hell of a lot of rugby to play."