RAMS completed their pre-season preparations with a pair of fine victories against London Welsh (35-17) and Barnes (27-0) at Old Bath Road.
In the opening encounter against Welsh, players’ Player of the Year Ollie Cole gave the hosts an 11th-minute lead when he sniped over following a quick tap penalty, Alex Seers adding the extras for 7-0.
The lead was doubled at the start of the second quarter, prop Terrel Harry going over following some dominant forwards play.
Seers was again on target, but Exiles hit back with tries from Myles Keane and one at the back of a rolling maul courtesy of prop Kaid O’Neill, former Ram Osian McAvoy slotting a conversion to make it a two-point game at the interval.
It took less than two minutes for long-serving Andy Amor to cross the whitewash after coming on at the break, Seers bisecting the uprights for 21-12, and Rams moved further in front quickly after as the fly-half added the extras to a Henry Bird effort.
Welsh crossed for a third try through Jack Anderson to keep the game alive, but Scott Harman’s effort – finished in the corner following a nice move on the blind side off a scrum – added to by the peerless Seers, completed a strong second-half showing from the home team.
Against a Barnes team who had defeated Rams in last year’s corresponding pre-season clash, it took until the 16th minute for the hosts to take the lead, young wing Charlie Robson finishing well in the corner before Connor Stapley doubled the advantage at the end of a fine break from the home team.
The returning Jak Rossiter went over in Clubhouse corner for the first points of the second period, and Rams went on to add a further gloss to the score-line with late tries from debutant Mike Hoyte and No. 8 James McRae, the latter converted by fly-half Rowan Grundy.
Rams start their National One campaign at home to newly-promoted Esher on Saturday, September 3.
