The hosts struck first having been held up over the line, Morgan MacRae scything through from the resultant goal-line drop-out for a score added to by Mike Cooke.
Rams’ scrum – led by the indomitable James Baker – was causing their opponents all sort of problems and MacRae doubled his tally after winning one against the head, some slick handling sending the inside centre over on the right.
The Berkshire side were temporarily reduced to 14 men as Charlie Robson was yellow carded for a no-arms tackle, but a heroic defensive rearguard kept their opponents at bay.
And Rams then added a third, MacRae with another powerful charge before Luke Graham’s magnificent mid-air finish.
TJs cut the gap before the break, Rams doing well to repel a powerful maul before the ball was spread wide for Nathan Earle to cross.
Rams pull clear
Jack Park added the extras to make it 19-7 at half-time, but the home team came firing out of the blocks following the interval, the scrum again powering forwards before Cooke’s cross-field kick was dotted down by Charlie Robson.
Another Cooke conversion extended the advantage, but TJs responded as Earle doubled up following a close-range tap-and-go.
The former Premiership winner was then yellow carded for taking a player in the air, however, and Rams collected their fifth try of the afternoon following some trademark Axel Kalling-Smith magic.
The Swedish international first came away from a breakdown with the ball, then chasing his own kick ahead to saunter over next to the posts.
Cooke was on target again, and while the contest became somewhat loose in the final quarter, the hosts pulled further clear as Graham raced away from 70 metres out following an interception.
Andrew Lamb slotted the extras to make it 40-12, but it was the hard-working TJs who had the final word with a consolation score from Tom Kendrick, replacement Connor Lloyd landing the conversion with the last kick of the match.
Rams travel to Leeds Tykes next Saturday (3pm).
Final Score: Rams 40–19 Tonbridge Juddians (Half Time: 19-7)
Scorers
Rams
Tries: MacRae 7, 16 Graham 30, 73, Robson 50, Kalling-Smith 65
Conversions: Cooke 8, 31, 51, 66, Lamb 74
Tonbridge Juddians
Tries: Earle 34, 57, Kendrick 80
Conversions: Park 35, Lloyd 80
Star Man: James Baker (Rams)
Referee: Callum Watson
Attendance: 784
Rams
(15-9, 1-8) Clow, Graham, Kalling-Smith, MacRae, Robson, Cooke, Pereira; Harris, Hayman ©, Baker, Stapley, Stone, Cowan, Duda, Atkins
Replacements: Spandler, Marris, Breese, Lamb, Boxhall
Tonbridge Juddians
(15-9, 1-8) Sharp, Kendrick, Earle, Cunnison, Barnes, Park, Gjaltema; Boon, Holling, Bratton, Scopes, Merrick, Culverhouse, Everitt, Laventure ©
Replacements: Graham, Wheeler, Bruce, Tout, Lloyd
