Rams are the RFU's National Div. 3 South West champions and will play in National 2 South next season, for the first time in their league history, following last Saturday's convincing win over runners-up Exmouth on home soil at the Old Bath Road ground.
A penalty try plus touchdowns from centres Dave Massey, Dan Barnes and flanker Azza Hopkins, aided by the unerring boot of record breaking scrum-half James Brooks, ensured their place amongst the countries top 72 clubs for the 2015/16 season despite being down to 13 men, having picked up two yellow cards at one stage, in the opening half.
As skipper and flanker Andy Amor said afterwards: “It was a fantastic win and it's been a huge achievement for the entire squad and the club itself and I couldn't be more proud of the guys! It's been achieved through hard work, a great team atmosphere, good morale and playing for each other!”
And full back Joe Duffelen, who, like Amor, has played for the club man and boy, echoed his skippers words saying: “The attitude we have got off the pitch is being mirrored in the attitude we have on the pitch. It's not just 15 players every weekend it's about 30-odd, plus all of the back-room staff and it's just a brilliant moment!”
The visitors kicked off in front of the huge crowd and it was, in fact, Exmouth, alias `The Cockles', who came out of their shells the quickest and went in front after ten minutes of `cat and mouse' rugby as both sides took time to settle.
But, a penalty from the visitors was banged into touch on the Rams five-metre line and from the line-out lock Jack Fahy was trundled over the Rams line for the games opening try on 16 minutes and well converted by fly half George Meadows.
However, as it turned out, it proved to be the visitors only points despite Rams taking some time to get into their full stride and giving away too many penalties early on.
They had, however, drawn level just six minutes after going behind when some huge pressure on the visitors line eventually led to a Rams drive over the Exmouth line being stopped illegally and referee Ian Bibey awarded Rams a penalty try that Brooks converted comfortably to level the score at 7-7.
But, Rams efforts took a knock when two yellow cards were shown to lock James Hughes, illegal entry, and flanker Hopkins, offside, reduced them to 13 men for four minutes at one point.
Despite the handicaps Brooks was able to bang over a penalty, before Hughes returned, and then Rams grabbed their second try while still a man short. It followed some solid build-up work from Rams excellent and hard-working forwards before powerful No. 8 Jamie Guttridge was held up on a charge and, from the recycled ball, centre Dave Massey deftly cut back inside to beat two defenders and swerve around another to go in under the posts and present Brooks with a simple conversion for a 17-7 half-time lead.
And, within three minutes of the restart, Brooks had added his third penalty as the visitors went offside at a ruck and was again in action soon after when Duffelen was high-tackled with the ball in hand and he extended Rams lead to 23-7.
Exmouth's spirit was, by now, rapidly fading as high-powered Rams, with the title solidly in their grasp, upped the tempo to add two more converted tries before the final whistle.
The first touched down by the rampaging Hopkins, Rams man-of-the-match, who started from his own 10 metre line before weaving and smashing his way past the tiring visitors defence to go in under the posts. And that was followed quickly by a sharp interception from centre Dan Barnes to also sweep in under the posts and for Brooks to add his fifth conversion
As he admitted afterwards: “We've had our eye on this game for a while now and we are just so pleased that it went our way and all of the hard work paid off really. The scoreline doesn't really do Exmouth justice but we worked really hard for it and had to be patient and grind them down and that's what we did!”
The win has moved champions Rams 14 points ahead of Exmouth with a final game of the season away to Barnstaple next Saturday left to play and to celebrate their title and promotion to National League Division 2 South for the first time!

Rams: Duffelen; Poole, Barnes, Massey, Foxley; Flower, Brooks; Steadman, Henderson, Baker; Hughes, Bryson; Amor (c), Hopkins, Guttridge. Reps all used – Weller, Root, Clark.

- ends -