The 461-cap tight-head prop enjoyed another superb campaign, mentioned in The Rugby Paper’s Team of the Season contenders.
Highlights included Baker scoring his 50th first-team try during the incredible 35-33 comeback win at Tonbridge Juddians.
He featured 23 times in the past season, starting nine matches and coming off the bench on 14 occasions.
This meant James hit the 450-cap milestone at Dings Crusaders, and broke the one-club semi-professional record in front of the highest ever National One crowd versus Plymouth Albion.
Baker originally joined Rams as a junior in 2000, making his first-team debut five years later aged 17 at Sherborne.
In the same game Chairman Andy Lynch started at 45 years old.
Baker was an ever-present in the back-to-back title successes of 2005/06 (Southern Counties North) – scoring his maiden senior try in the opening 34-17 triumph at Olney – and 06/07 (South West Two East).
James’ 100th cap came at home to Old Patesians in November 2009, before an astonishing spell of consistency saw him miss just one game between a trip to Weston-super-Mare on March 6, 2010 and the home fixture versus Southend on March 19, 2016.
Rams climb to Level Three
This streak included another promotion with the National Three South West title secured in 2014/15.
The step up to National Two South did little to phase Baker – picked in the Team of the Season – who continued to show he is one of the lost diamonds to the highest echelons of the sport.
A stunning fourth title arrived as Rams won National Two South in 2018/19, with the tighthead again included in the Select XV.
He won his 400th cap against Darlington Mowden Park in November 2023, and was again picked in the National One Team of the Season for 2024/25.
And he has now committed to another season – while not ruling out another in 2027/28.
He chuckled: “500 would be quite a number…”
