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SEB REYNOLDS: 'STORTFORD ARE A STRONG, DANGEROUS SIDE!'

SEB REYNOLDS: 'STORTFORD ARE A STRONG, DANGEROUS SIDE!'

Rich Ashton15 Oct 2021 - 16:00
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Rams on the road at fortress Silver Leys!

DIRECTOR of Rugby Seb Reynolds believes tomorrow’s trip to Bishop’s Stortford represents a clash between two sides with a very similar club ethos.

In what will be a double-header with our Titans also facing the hosts’ 2nd XV, Seb was quick to praise the Hertfordshire club – who have beaten Rams in five of the six previous meetings and have also lost just once at Silver Leys in their past 10 National One fixtures.

He said: “It’s a really tough game. One of the things with this league is you come off a very emotional and intense encounter against a very strong Rosslyn Park side and then you’ve got to go and play at a venue we’ve never won before in Bishop’s Stortford.

“They’re are a strong side who are playing some really dangerous, unstructured rugby and they’ve had some good results. They’re an established side at this level.

“They get great support and they’re a good community club – they’ve always got a second XV and that’s another exciting thing for tomorrow as we’re going there with two sides which is great.

“They’ve got a strong community ethos which means they generate good players from the locality, so it’s going to be exciting.”

Rams make three changes to the starting line-up from last Saturday’s stunning win against Rosslyn Park, with Jak Rossiter and Colin Thomson promoted from the bench and fly-half Steffan James making his maiden start at National One.

And Seb has full confidence in the young Welshman, commenting: “Steff is an excellent rugby player. He’s been Leeds Beckett’s fly-half for a couple of years and he’s a very skilful boy who deserves his opportunity this weekend.

“He’s had to be very patient having come off the bench a couple of times and a couple more he’s not got on, but he’s been very mature and has earned his chance.”

Outside the starting XV, versatile back row Josh Collis also makes a first appearance on the bench this season and Seb added: “Josh is another stalwart of the squad now – he’s been banging on the door for a while, has captained the Titans and his time has come.”

With Rams having come storming out of the blocks on a number of occasions, Seb is lastly hoping for a full 80-minute performance at Silver Leys, he concluded: “It’s a factor of being out of rugby for a long time.

“One of the things at this level is we’ve always had to battle hard for anything and then this year we’ve found ourselves sometimes going in at half-time in a good position, so mentally you have to deal with that and understand how you need to react to the second half.

“But there’s no concern and the players are doing really well – it’s just a case of building up throughout the season and we’re confident these things will come.”

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