RAMPANT RAMS TOPPLE TITANS
SEVEN-TRY Rams put on their best display of the season as they turned on the style in a 43-19 home win against Taunton Titans.
Following the disappointment of last week’s reverse at Leeds Tykes, the hosts came under early pressure as Taunton dominated the opening 10 minutes in terms of both possession and territory.
Rams held firm, and they took the lead when Tom Vooght sniped over from close range for his 50th league try for the club, Drew Humberstone’s conversion attempt drifting just wide.
Taunton hit back immediately, though, and debutant wing Ollie Down crossed on the right to level matters.
However, the wide man went from hero-to-zero as he was sin-binned, and as the home pack gradually got on top, they earned a penalty try at the scrum before skipper Robbie Stapley smashed his way over from close range at the back of a driving line-out.
Humberstone’s conversion made it 19-5 at the interval, and Rams came flying out of the blocks at the start of the second half, wrapping up the try bonus-point when manof-the-match Vooght again went over from close range following a series of phases.
Another successful kick extended the advantage to 21 points, before Rams produced a contender for try of the season to date.
Firstly, from just inside the Taunton half, the forwards won a scrum against the head before Cole spread the ball out to Rowan Grundy.
He found electric youngster Charlie Robson making a beautiful arcing run from the left wing, and when he was tackled, a brilliant off-load inside to Cole was followed by another to Henry Bird before Connor Hayhow smashed his way over on the right-hand side.
Humberstone’s conversion was equally brilliant as it crept in off the left-hand upright, but Taunton – led by their play-making Exeter loanee fly-half Jack Walsh – continued to throw shots and grabbed a second try shortly after.
A wonderful cover tackle from Bird looked to have prevented the damage, but replacement flanker Ratu Vakalutukali picked up and went over before Walsh added the extras.
It was Rams who moved further in front though, the richly-deserving Robson making it two tries in as many games after strong work from the forwards close to the Titans line allowed the ball to be shipped out for the teenager to touch down on the left.
The end-to-end nature of the latter stages saw Taunton gain a third try through
Harry Tarling, Walsh dropkicking a conversion as the visitors tried to find time to snatch a try bonus of their own.
Yet it was Rams who had the final word, completing a basketballesque finish as substitute Vince Everitt went over from close range for his maiden first-team score.
Humberstone’s conversion attempt drifted wide, but Rams were well worth their win and climb to sixth in the table with games in hand on the four sides above them.