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TEAM NEWS: RAMS MAKE SOLE CHANGE FOR DARLINGTON DUEL

TEAM NEWS: RAMS MAKE SOLE CHANGE FOR DARLINGTON DUEL

Rich Ashton23 Feb - 12:30
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Rossiter comes back in as side gear up for longest trip of season!

RAMS make just one change for their long National One trip to Darlington Mowden Park tomorrow (3pm), with the club’s third highest ever league try-scorer Jak Rossiter restored to the starting line-up.

The wing bagged a brace at Bishop’s Stortford a fortnight ago, and with George Makepeace-Cubitt again on England Under 20s’ Six Nations duty, 83-try Jak back at The 25,500-capacity Darlington Arena.

Rossiter’s return sees Henry Bird switch to full-back, with Charlie Robson, who celebrated his 22nd birthday on Thursday, remaining in situ on the left wing.

Axel Kalling-Smith opened the scoring against Leicester Lions with a trademark magical effort, and continues to build up what is becoming an ever-increasing midfield force with vice-captain Drew Humberstone.

The latter is set for a 20th consecutive start, a record matched by only two other players this season including fly-half Fraser Honey, who will be partnered in the half-backs for the second straight week by Ed Hoadley.

The third ever-present is hooker Max Hayman, who got back to try-scoring ways with his 17th of the campaign last time out, moving to within two of the divisional leader Noah Fenton.

Ant Marris and James Baker start on either side of the scrum – the pair with almost 500 caps between them – while Connor Stapley and Dan Swain have been the regular combination in the engine room and line up alongside one another again.

Last week’s man-of-the-match Mike Hoyt continued his tremendous form against Leicester, and remains in the back row with openside flanker James McRae and skipper Robbie Stapley, the No. 8 once again leading the side.

The sole change on the bench sees the visitors switch to a 4-1 split, prop Paddy Harris coming in to join front row colleagues Ryan Lomas and the irresistible Calum Scott.

Ben Atkins climbed clear as second top try-scorer with his eighth last week – incredibly coming with just his second touch – while Ollie Monye has shown throughout the season he is one of the most livewire players in the league.

Versatile back three man Finn Matthews is the travelling reserve.

Rams Team @ Darlington Mowden Park

(15-9, 1-8) Bird, Rossiter, Kalling-Smith, Humberstone (vc), Robson, Honey, Hoadley; Marris, Hayman, Baker, C Stapley, Swain, Hoyt, McRae, R Stapley ©

Replacements: Scott, Lomas, Harris, Atkins, Monye

Travelling Reserve: Matthews

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