The versatile forward has racked up more than 100 caps since joining the club at the start of the 2014/15 season, helping push Rams from National Three South West to a runners-up finish in National One last term.

He crossed the whitewash seven times in the club’s maiden National Two South campaign – including five in the final seven games – and admitted avoiding relegation was a key moment in the success the boys have since enjoyed.

He revealed: “It was crucial. The step-up between National Three and National Two is much greater than it is to National One because you went from playing a game which stayed competitive for roughly 60 minutes to a full 80-minute game.

“The physicality was also a big difference - I was finding on Sunday mornings I could hardly get up!”

He continued: “(Staying up) also allowed us to keep a lot of players together. A large number have been on the journey from National Three and I am not sure what the impact of relegation would have been as we all had the ambition to play at a higher level.

“I know most would have stayed, but going again would have been a hard task.

“You also had Henley in National One at the time and Chinnor in National Two, so we could have lost some. In the end we stayed up and had the likes of Robbie (Stapley), Jak (Rossiter), Coco (Conor Corrigan) join us to name a few.”

Looking back at the 2014/15 season, Jamie admitted it was a real challenge.

He said: “It’s the toughest season I’ve experienced.

“We learned an awful lot about each other, but the best thing we did was to stick together, never give up and to learn fast. In the end we succeeded and we had enough to stay up.

“The previous season we had been promoted winning 22 out of 26, but we started National Two losing seven out of the first eight.

“It was a bit of a shock to the system as we weren’t used to losing, but the intensity was there for 80 minutes and the physicality had stepped up as well.

“Throw in a 30-game season and it was a really big step up between the two leagues.”

He continued: “But we just focused on improving 1 per cent each week and in the end that paid dividends.

“The big impact came just after Christmas - we had got some lads back from injury, and we won seven in a row. That was a big turning point and kept us in the league.”

Having joined the club when playing at Level Five, Jamie confessed there have been plenty of changes since a brace of promotions.

He revealed: “The biggest change for me is how far we now have to travel!”

“We were used to go to Redruth once a season, but we now go to Rotherham, Sale, Hull etc.

“Darlington away is a long trip (six hours plus) and it doesn’t help when you have a random drugs test (normal for National One) which delays the coach leaving!

“Honestly though, there have been a lot of small changes which have made a big difference.

“(CEO) Gary (Reynolds) and (Chairman) Andy (Lynch) have done a great job in getting the club where it is along with (Director of Rugby) Seb (Reynolds).

“The recruitment we have means players fit into the team rather than having marquee players, and as the supporters can see, the ground is always being refined and now we will now have lights on the 1st XV pitch and a stand.”

He went on: “I can remember the old dug outs before we had the new ones built. There wasn’t much protection from elements with them.

“It certainly makes it exciting for players to play with facilities like this. The Strength and conditioning side has certainly made a big impact.

“Joe (Southwell) and Darryl (Watson) have increased the fitness standards substantially and it really enables us to perform at the level we do. Also Owen (Root) and Danny (Batty) have made a big impact coming in as coaches.”

With 41 tries to his name Jamie is in a clutch of players approaching the half-century mark, including Ben Henderson, Joe Duffelen and James Baker (all 47), Conor Corrigan (45) and Tom Vooght (41), and he confessed it does provide a source of entertainment in the dressing room.

He quipped: “It’s always nice to get on the scoreboard, but I think Steaders (Jack Steadman), Hendo, and Baker would argue they had a lot of input into the ones I had in National Three – I don’t think I had to move more than five metres a time that year!

“I haven’t got a target in mind of how many I’d like to end up with - I just want to keep playing for as long as I can at this level and to keep contributing to the team.

“But the try count is a hot topic between players during the season so it can become competitive!”

After months of training in the hope some rugby can be played in the coming months, the RFU and NCA confirmed last week that a National Cup will hopefully get underway in February, and Jamie is delighted with the news.

He said: “I think for everyone involved in the community game it is great news and gives the opportunity for players and supporters to be involved in a nearly normal Saturday afternoon once again.

“I know the game on a Saturday was something a lot of us looked forward to and it will bring about some normality.

“It will be interesting given the amended rules (no scrums or mauls), but it’s not forever and if these are what give us an opportunity to play for a while I am all for it. I am not sure the front row will be echoing my excitement though!”

And finishing off an intriguing insight into life in the Senior Squad, Jamie admitted it was a ‘shock’ to be named Player of the Year at the end of the curtailed previous campaign.

He beamed: “It was a great honour and a bit of a shock.

“It was a big team effort and it took all 20 players on the day to get the results we did - I was just happy to have survived the season!

“There are also a lot of people behind the scenes who helped on the journey and we wouldn’t be able to perform on the pitch without them and I would like to thank them.

“From the coaches preparing us during the week for the next opposition, to Matt (Maxwell, 1st XV manager) the and back room team for ensuring the smooth running of the day, the physios putting us back together after a Saturday (or for me the morning of!), the S&C team getting our bodies conditioned for the season, Gary and Andy for developing the whole club, hosting the opposition and travelling all around the country with us, the Friday club for getting the facilities ready for a Saturday, the Minis being there every Saturday to lead us out and staying after for a photo under the posts, and for all the supporters who come and watch us play.

“It really is a Ramily effort who have got us to second in National One and I’m proud to be a part of such a great club.”

Rest of the calendar

1 - Jez Flynn
2 - Andy Lynch
3 - Josh Collis
4 - Joe Bell
5 - Rodney Hutson
6 - Seb Reynolds