Resilient Rams maintain unbeaten start to campaign

RAMS’ director of rugby Seb Reynolds paid tribute to the resilience and quality of Dings Crusaders following his side’s National Division 1 win at Shaftesbury Park last Saturday, writes Richard Ashton.

The visitors fell behind to a second-minute Tom Knight penalty before hitting back through a converted Dan Swain score, only for Dings’ seven-pointers via Harry Rowson and Kofi Cripps to make it 17-7. Rams rallied with Fraser Honey on target after Zach Clow, Tom Vooght and Robbie Stapley touched down, Knight’s fine kick after Rowson’s second making it a four-point game at the interval.

Honey slotted a penalty before Stapley collected his club record-setting 102nd first-team try, now 36-24, but Jimmy Halliwell’s home effort was topped up by Tom Foot as Dings stayed alive.

And even after Axel Kalling-Smith crossed with four minutes to go, Crusaders struck through Brian Ncube before Honey’s final-play penalty finally put the game to bed.

Speaking after the riveting contest, Reynolds said: “I thought we were very good early on and showed how we could take the game away from them, but they always came back and played some great rugby — they deserved to be in the game to the end.

“Every time it looked like we could move further ahead and make the game more comfortable they seemed to respond — it was probably a combination of two things in that they were good but we lost a bit of our discipline in the middle of the park and also our tackle heights.

“That invited some pressure onto us and it’s something we’ll need to review, but we can get better from it.”

He continued: “It was a top game of rugby for anyone who came along and watched, that’s brilliant, and we got a decent victory against a very good side.”

Ioan Emanuel, Solodrau Radianirova and scrum-half Ollie Hodgson — a last-minute addition to the bench — all made their debuts, while young Irish prop Ryan Lomas caught the eye in the first half with his work-rate and ball-carrying after being restored to the side.

Reynolds added: “Ryan’s been fantastic this season and has really developed since he came here — he did a good job against a big front row and there were some good debuts as well.

“Solo was superb on the wing and was unlucky not to get a try, and then Ollie in his five minutes made a superb tackle in a crunch game as Dings were looking for a key score.”

It was the record-breaking Stapley who Reynolds saved his final words for, beaming: “What can you say about him? He’s playing some really good rugby, he’s got himself so fit during pre-season and is having a great impact on the side.

“He’s been at the club a long time, he’s had to chance the way he plays — when he was first here he was probably on the edge a bit, waiting for the ball to come to him and making bullocking runs where he’d beat three or four defenders and score under the posts.

“Now it’s a little more close-quarters stuff for his tries, but the fact he’s evolved his game and his longevity is a credit to him and an example to young players.

“How he’s stayed motivated, hungry and proud is what’s helped him do what he’s done and to take the record from a legend like Jez Flynn is fantastic.”

Rams host Leicester Lions in their centenary fixture tomorrow (Saturday), kick-off 3pm.