On a frost-bound afternoon in the west country the Taunton Titans swept aside their opponents with two tries in the final ten minutes of the game, following what had been a tense afternoon to leave the score at 31 -21.
The Rams came into this top of the table clash only four points behind a Taunton side who they had not been able to overcome at the last four times of asking. However, the Titans were struggling with their form having lost their last two games, whilst the Rams were in scintillating form having won their previous six.
Despite this loss the Rams coach, Seb Reynolds, was able to appreciate the quality of rugby on display as he shared his thoughts with us at the end of the game saying, “It was a fantastic game of rugby played by two extremely motivated teams. I can’t fault the boy’s effort and application on the field, they were brilliant. We were unlucky at times, but that’s how big games go, and I’m confident we’ll bounce back.”
The Rams began in typical fashion, showing no weariness from the lengthy coach journey, as they drove the ball over the line following a line out as memories of their previous two losses began to creep in for the Titans.
The Reading men dominated the first ten minutes of what was an extremely intense affair as both teams were hitting each other hard, which resulted in the Rams losing three players over the course of the game to injury.
The Rams began to relax a little too much into the game as a series of missed tackles allowed the Titans number 8 (Samuel Prior) and number 14 (Aron Struminski) to close in on the Rams try line. The Reading men held out valiantly five yards from their try line but it was in vain as Taunton’s number 6 (Brett Harvey) eventually muscled his way through to score after 18 minutes. The try was converted well to bring the scores level.
This spurred the Taunton crowd on; as the Titans entered a period of dominance, lead by the gigantic number 8, Prior, who the Rams were struggling to pin down.
The Titans almost made their dominance count as their number 15 (Oliver Rice) broke and popped the ball off to their winger, Fraser, who was thwarted by the Rams defence inches from the try line.
The game entered a period of stalemate as both teams turned on their attacking flair but neither was able to find a way through in what was quickly becoming the Rams most competitive and lively game of the season so far.
With neither side able to take the lead Taunton resorted to taking three points from a penalty kick, shortly before half time, to take them into the break with a slender lead, 10 -7, and the game still very much in the balance.
The Rams began the second half as they had begun the first, in lively fashion. This was rewarded as a demonstration of lightening quick footwork allowed Rams 14, Jak Rossiter, to dart through the Titans defence with explosive pace and score directly under the posts, setting up Tom Humberstone for an easy conversion, as the coaches’ half time team talk seemed to be taking immediate effect.
The Redingensians seemed as if they would build on this early second half momentum as a line out and drive allowed club stalwart, James Baker, to take the ball over the try line, which was subsequently denied by the referee, and the Rams were left to rue this missed opportunity.
This allowed the Titans to regain their composure as they charged back at the Rams with a flurry of attacks, which was eventually rewarded by a try for Titans Centre, Nicholas Mason, and with the try being converted it set the game up for a tense finish, with neither side deserving to lose.
Coming into the final ten minutes it became clear that the overwhelming intensity of the game was taking a toll on both sides as they began kicking for territory.
With all still to play for the Taunton men turned over the ball deep in Rams territory and following some skillful handwork, they whipped the ball out wide quickly for number 14 to make the breakthrough and score for the Titans, as it seemed as if they might have put the game beyond the Reading men.
This was confirmed shortly after as the referee added to the Rams woes by giving a yellow card to Ollie Foxley, and Taunton took full advantage of their extra man as they scored their fourth try of the afternoon, securing their bonus point.
The Rams had the final say thanks to the dynamism of Conor Corrigan but ultimately it was only a consolation for the Reading men.

Please come and support Rams 1st XV and 2nd XV as both teams take on Bury St Edmunds at home, Old Bath Road, Saturday 2nd December, KO 2pm.