A FIRST-HALF Fleur Roumignac hat-trick set Rams Centaurs on their way to a brilliant 55-29 victory at Tadley, runners-up spot in Counties Two Tribute Berks, Bucks & Oxon South confirmed.

An eighth win in nine matches for the visitors was given lift-off in a blistering opening 10 minutes, Tom George over early before Roumignac grabbed a quick-fire double.

Player-coach Jack Gaylor converted the latter two for 19-0, and while Tadley got on the board with a try, the Mighty Cents hit back with an extraordinary four-score burst before the interval.

Roumignac firstly completed his hat-trick before George doubled up, joint man-of-the-match Theo Pett-Ridge bagging a brace.

Tadley struck back before Ollie Cullum brought up Rams’ half century, Tom David with the extras.

Another home score preceded Centaurs’ ninth, Callum du Preez going over, and while Tadley claimed collected a fifth before the end, it was merely a consolation.

Harrison Stanners shared the star man role with Pett-Ridge, with Gaylor commenting: “Harrison set the standard in defence, being the first off the line, phase after phase.

“He also did the hard yards and graft work really well, while Theo’s tackling showed a maturity greater than his years.

“He has been our obvious attacking threat this season, scoring in the first game and never slowing up, but when Theo moved into the midfield after Louis’ yellow and a backline reshuffle, nothing got through him – in one phase he made three tackles and still created the counter-attack which led to a try.

“And Louis, with the hat trick, played well in the typical scrum-half role, but also brought the effort in D – one of his three tries coming from an interception during a good set of phases from Tadley.

Gaylor continued: “The guys stepped up and won thanks to some individual brilliance when needed, especially in the counterattack, coupled with camaraderie and togetherness which has grown strong and tight over the rollercoaster season.

“It’s great to finish second because after the start of the season, where we found ourselves in the bottom four, the team have really done well to come together and put some amazing performances in.”

The Centaurs’ final game of the season is against Maidenhead 2nd XV on Saturday, April 5.

*Picture by John Taplin