TEAM NEWS: VOOGHT HITS 175 AS RAMS HEAD TO BLACKHEATH

TOM Vooght will win his 175th first-team cap as Rams visit Blackheath for tomorrow’s National One fixture (3pm).

The outstanding open-side flanker has featured in a National Colts Cup final and later secured two promotions since first arriving at Old Bath Road as a four-year-old, going on to rack up 60 senior tries in a storied 20-plus years career at the club.

Vooght is part of a back row featuring one change from last Saturday’s disappointing defeat at Sedgley Park, young dynamo Harry Stone stepping into the blind-side role as James McRae continues at No. 8.

The remainder of the pack remains unchanged as props Paddy Harris – continuing his run of featuring in every game this season – and Nick Barry are sandwiched by influential captain Max Hayman, the skipper with 12 tries to his name this season.

Nile Dacres and Dan Swain, man-of-the-match in a sensational performance in the earlier fixture between the two sides, remain together in the second row.

Starts for Hodgson, Rampton and Rhoads

Ollie Hodgson slots back in at scrum-half for his second start following an encouraging display at Birmingham Moseley, the second of the side’s seasonal ever-presents, Fraser Honey, again in the stand-off position.

The centre partnership of Joe Pannese and Axel Kalling-Smith, the past fortnight’s outstanding performer who played a part in all four tries at Tigers, remains unaltered, but there are changes on both wings.

On the right, Jamaica Sevens speedster Jack Rampton comes back in after an eye-catching display for the Development XV against the Army, while ex-Newbury man Oli Rhoads – who has two tries in three substitute appearance – earns a maiden start.

Zach Clow completes the side at full-back, the leading try-scorer with 13 the third to feature in all 22 games this term.

Bench split 4-1

Powerful Bath prop Scott Kirk and the legendary James Baker are joined on the bench by fellow forwards Ben Atkins and Morgan MacRae, while versatile ex-Millfield School Nat Arnold covers the three-quarters as he becomes the 41st player to represent the first team in 2024/25.

Prop Ryan Lomas and back row Mikey Duda head to Well Hall as travelling reserves.

Rams Team @ Blackheath

(15-9, 1-8) Clow, Rampton, Kalling-Smith, Pannese, Rhoads, Honey, Hodgson; Harris, Hayman ©, Baker, Dacres, Swain, Stone, Vooght, McRae

Replacements: Kirk, Baker, Atkins, MacRae, Arnold

Travelling Reserves: Lomas, Duda