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TEAM NEWS: RAMS CHANGE FIVE FOR TIGERS TUSSLE

TEAM NEWS: RAMS CHANGE FIVE FOR TIGERS TUSSLE

Rich Ashton8 Nov 2024 - 12:30

Two prop swaps with Cole, Kalling-Smith and Graham returning to back line!

YOUNG Bath loanee wing Luke Graham returns from injury as Rams make five changes to the starting line-up for tomorrow’s home clash with Sedgley Park (3pm).

The English-qualified 20-year-old, a South African schoolboy star at Springbok Academy Paul Roos, opened his Rams’ account in the 33-0 home victory against Sale in Week Three before going down after Dings the next week.

However, he now returns out wide alongside Tomek Pozniak, Sweden captain Axel Kalling-Smith back at outside centre following his double against Lithuania last Saturday.

Rowan Grundy switches a spot inside to No. 12 with ever-present Fraser Honey at fly-half, Ollie Cole back in at No. 9 and Zach Clow making it eight starts from eight at full-back to round out the three-quarters.

Captain and hooker Max Hayman will come up against the only player with as many tries in National One as him this season, wing Rhys Henderson (both nine), and will again lead from the front with Paddy Harris and Ryan Lomas returning alongside him as the final changes to the starting line-up.

The rest of the scrum remains the same after Rams held onto a first victory in three years at Plymouth a fortnight ago, irrepressible summer signing Nile Dacres supported by try-scoring 50th-cap man Dan Swain in the engine room.

Blind-side flanker James McRae was on top form at The Brickfields – combining powerful carries with an extraordinary try-saving tackle early in the second half – while Tom Vooght had earlier followed suit in stopping Seta Raumatika in the opening 40 and Robbie Stapley continues to roll back the years at No. 8.

A couple of prop swaps see James Baker slip back to make an impact from the bench ahead of an extraordinary 423rd first-team appearance, Bath man Ioan Emanuel on the other side for his second.

Morgan MacRae covers hooker and the back row fresh from a 24-minute hat-trick for the Development XV against Army Under 23s, with Andrew Lamb – captain and classy against the Red Shirts – and scrum-half Ollie Hodgson completing the matchday squad.

Props Liam Bishop and Ant Marris, young second/back rows Liam Elston and Harry Stone are travelling reserves at OBR, with two-try centre Oli Rhoads doing the same after his eye-catching effort against the Army.

Rams Team Vs. Sedgley Park

(15-9, 1-8) Clow, Graham, Kalling-Smith, Grundy, Pozniak, Honey, Cole; Harris, Hayman ©, Lomas, Dacres, Swain, McRae, Vooght, Stapley

Replacements: Emanuel, Baker, MacRae, Lamb, Hodgson

Travelling Replacements: Bishop, Marris, Elston, Stone, Rhoads

Further reading