MOST TRIES NO. 23 - JJ BELL

Name: JJ Bell

Position: Wing/Backs

Total Tries: 25

First Try: Aldermaston (h) – October 22, 1994.

Last Try: Aylesbury (a) – April 14, 2007.

Most tries in a game: (4) – Swindon College Old Boys (October 7, 2000).

Most tries in a season: Six in 1997/98.

Most tries against: Swindon College Old Boys – 7

Summary:

JJ’s 25 league tries spanned a remarkable 13 years and included dotting down in four promotion campaigns.

His first efforts came while playing on the wing – his dad Joe was also in the backline – as he grabbed a brace against Aldermaston in Berkshire, Dorset & Wiltshire One back in October 1994.

He returned at the start of 1998 to finish as top scorer as Rams finished runners-up and secure an immediate return to Southern Counties South following their relegation the season before.

JJ’s hot streak consisted of six tries in seven games against Marlborough (29-13), Trowbridge (20-8), a double against Corsham (22-10), Tadley (5-12) and Thatcham (43-16).

Five more tries arrived in the 99/2000 campaign when Rams finished third in Southern Counties South, and his love affair with playing Swindon College Old Boys began with a score in the 50-10 away win.

Further tries came against Tadley in a 22-12 home loss, Wootton Bassett in an 18-11 triumph and a brace at home to Swindon in a 74-20 drubbing.

The Old Boys were again on the receiving end of JJ’s brilliance when he scored four tries against them in a 55-0 whitewash in October 2000, a season which ended with Rams winning the SCS title.

JJ dotted down against Aylesbury (12-22) and Chippenham (24-27) in Rams’ first South West Two East campaign the following year, but they were back in SCS when he grabbed his next four tries – against Sherborne (31-15), Dorchester (8-77), Devizes (5-9) and Bournemouth (10-29) – in 2004/05.

However, his career ended with a flourish – albeit with cameo appearances – scoring at home to Slough in a 55-10 Southern Counties North triumph in September 2005, and his final effort in a 26-15 victory at Aylesbury some 20 months later in South West Two East.

Rams won back-to-back promotions in those two seasons to reach South West One for the first time in 2007/08.

Tries by season:

1994/95 (2) – Aldermaston x2 (h).

97/98 (6) – Marlborough (h), Trowbridge (a), Corsham x2 (a), Tadley (a), Thatcham (h).

99/2000 (5) – Swindon College Old Boys (a), Tadley (h), Wootton Bassett (h), Swindon College OB x2 (h).

00/01 (4) – Swindon College OB x4 (h).

01/02 (2) – Aylesbury (h), Chippenham (a).

04/05 (4) – Sherborne (h), Dorchester (a), Devizes (a), Bournemouth (h).

05/06 (1) – Slough (h).

06/07 (1) – Aylesbury (a).

The list:

24 - Olly Poole
25 - Olly Foxley
26 - Greg Illingworth
27 - Andy Fairweather
28 - Josh Smith
29 - Ollie Randall
30 - Greg Way