Under the Wednesday Night Lights it was the Services side who made the initial breakthrough, excellent inside centre Kieran Jenkins getting them on the front foot before the ball was spun right for Adam Ford to touch down out wide.
The hosts hit back immediately, Andrew Lamb striking a majestic 50-22 from which Max Brown peeled off the subsequent maul to dive over.
Lamb added the extras to nudge his side in front, and after the RAF had a likely Kieran Presscott try chalked off for off-side, Rams moved further ahead.
Scores shared before break
This time it was the electric Alex Mannhardt who gave them field position with a burst down the left, a penalty won before hooker Harry Bicknell subsequently rode the set-piece across the line.
Yet the Air Force were under no means ready to lie down, camping inside their opponents’ 22 at the back end of the opening half.
And despite Rams defending manfully, the dam eventually burst as Ben Collins crossed to make it 12-10 at the interval.
The hosts began the second period strongly, and in similar fashion extended their lead, constant pressure eventually ending with skipper Liam Elston, impressive throughout in the second row, stretching over.
A nice nudge from Lamb followed, but it was game on going into the last 20 minutes as Josh Peacock went over from a maul for the Light Blues, a Jenkins kick making it a two-point game.
Rams pull clear late on
Yet a devastating three-try blitz put the contest to bed as Rams turned on the style.
The first came almost immediately from the restart, a couple of phases preceding some lovely handling to send Sam Bowen over in Clubhouse Corner for a try brilliantly added to by Lamb.
Next they hurtled through in midfield before Barney Thomas enjoyed a close-range walk-in score, and then Lamb did superbly to off-load a loose ball in his own 22 to Mannhardt – the wing showing phenomenal pace to race down the touchline for a scintillating effort.
With two more conversions added it was now 40-17, and there was still time for the pack – bolstered by the impressive power of last year’s Colt Obi Nwachuku – to strike again the latter key in helping Bicknell double up from another maul.
Lamb took his tally to 16 points for the evening before the clock ran down in a game where the scoreline was certainly harsh towards the visitors.
The Development XV next visit Cambridge University on Wednesday, November 19 (7.45pm).
