RAMS Director of Rugby Seb Reynolds hailed his side’s evolution after they scored another eight tries in a 52-24 National One home success against a dynamic Leeds Tykes side.
Six five-pointers came from the outside backs as the returning Jak Rossiter grabbed a hat-trick, fellow wing Zach Clow a double and centre Connor Hayhow his seventh of the season.
Captain Robbie Stapley had earlier carved his way over to level matters following Kieran Davies’ opening score, the skipper touching down for his 96th Rams try on his 200th appearance.
Rams other try came from Stapley’s fellow back row, James McRae, the Eton College geography teacher claiming a stunner as he raced in from some 50 metres midway through the second half.
The hosts have been playing free-flowing rugby all season – picking up 20 try bonus-points in their 21 games – but Reynolds admitted the quality shown from his backs has been a work in progress, stating: “It’s something we’ve had to work on over the years, it maybe hasn’t come too naturally for us – historically we built our game on the foundations of the defence and the set-piece.
“But it does make things a lot easier when you’ve got the likes of Zach, Jak, Birdy and the others getting the ball in the outside channels.
“And you could see Jak had the bit between his teeth and he looked fresh – it was great to have him back.”
Things had begun badly for Rams as Leeds full-back Davies ran in a second-minute try, and they looked threatening throughout as Tom Williams, John Okafor and Tighe Maxwell-Whiteley also crossed the whitewash as the visitors belied their position second-bottom in the league.
The DoR said: “I thought it was a very skilful game and both sides played some good stuff. Credit to Leeds, they really are a good side and a threat from anywhere.
“Kieran Davies is a superb player and he cut us open early on to put them in the lead, so we had to try and establish ourselves in the game.
“We did that by putting on our own attacking brand of rugby and high-tempo game, and we looked very good at times.
“It’s not cliché, it’s just fact when we say there are no poor sides in National One. Every team can win on any given day.”
Plenty of Rams players again caught the eye, with Vince Everitt again providing an all-action display, captain Stapley imperious as he reached his double ton, Niall Kidd back on song and Rowan Grundy pulling the strings at stand-off.
Reynolds continued: “Rowan added his game to the way we play. We’ve got guys who do different things at fly-half and he has to be himself, and I saw that in what was potentially a man-of-the-match performance.
“It was fantastic to see Niall back and doing the 80 minutes in a great performance.”
With five games remaining the Director of Rugby reaffirmed hooker Max Hayman’s belief that fun is key to his side’s success.
He ended: “We genuinely don’t feel any pressure. Believe it or not these guys look forward to Tuesdays, training then having some food.
“I was speaking to someone the other week and I said it’s just the little moments you enjoy, going away and the stops for a coffee break, after training just chatting to someone you wouldn’t normally, and they’re the important things.
“Saturday afternoons are just about enjoyment and the squad have come together so well in the few years we’ve coached them – it’s lovely to see them go out and express themselves.”
Rams travel to Plymouth Albion on Saturday (3pm).
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By Richard Ashton
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