RAMS ACADEMY ASPIRE TO STEP UP YOUR GAME AND BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE
RUGBY-LOVING students can ‘step up their game’ by joining the Rams Academy at Forest School, according to County Cup-winning captain Matthew Choules.
Forest were crowned Berkshire champions in December 2019, capping a brilliant first year after going into partnership with Rams.
The Old Bath Road club’s Director of Rugby, Seb Reynolds, leads training for the Under 18s at the school, while first-team prop
James Baker is forwards coach and strength & conditioning guru, Joe Southwell, also provides expert input.
And Choules has no doubt about the benefit the school gained.
He said: “To have three days of coaching with the head coach from Rams – a National One side – is just unheard of and to be working with someone that successful and influential in rugby I think really led to us all stepping our game up.
“They have so much expertise with their coaching and overall rugby knowledge.”
He continued: “They gave us a lot to think about and work for and added expert coaching which we’d probably never have experienced.
“It was a really great year for us, we had some great victories and won the County Cup. It was hard work, but it gave us extra momentum.
“We also had access to the specialist gym and really good pitches and facilities, which played a part.”
Even before the partnership, Forest and Rams have had a close association with the likes of Reynolds, Baker, scrum-half Ollie
Cole, hooker Ross Crame and the club’s alltime top point-scorer, Spike Chandler, all alumni of the school.
While schools rugby was another unfortunate victim of the ongoing pandemic this year, it is hoped it will be back to normal come September, and Rams are holding a Trials Day for any interested students on Friday, May 7.
It will consist of a training session and then a match under the newly-installed floodlights for any current Under 16s who are due to move into Sixth Form later this year.
Reflecting on the link, Reynolds added:
“We have always wanted to continue with our community support. At The Forest, they have always had a very good rugby tradition.
“As a former student this is a real passion for me to make this become a strong movement and the commitment we have put behind this demonstrates that.
“If you want to enjoy yourself playing rugby, while getting high-level coaching support to develop, then I’d strongly consider applying for Rams (Forest School) Rugby Academy.”