RAMS Development picked up their first win of the season on a wet Wednesday night at Old Bath Road, a youthful side overcoming Cambridge University 26-10 under the lights.

As with the first XV at Bishop’s Stortford on Saturday, the rain swept in shortly before kick-off, but both teams showed their quality despite the tough conditions.

It was the students who opened the scoring midway through the first quarter, winning a turnover penalty before kicking to the corner.
From there, a solid maul rolled forward, ultimately well repelled by Rams, but when the ball was switched left, centre Jack Allison dived over for a score the inside centre was unable to convert himself.

However, the hosts response was emphatic, their own set-piece flexing its muscles to enable No. 8 Morgan MacRae to dot down from close range, the scores level at 5-5 after captain Tom Humberstone was unable to add the extras.

Rams did move in front shortly afterwards, though, with an absolute cracker of a try.

Full-back Andrew Lamb took a high ball in his own 22 before making a half-break, his fine off-load then finding Jack Rampton on the right touchline.

From there it was all about the speed and balance of the Jamaica 7s ace, Rampton gliding down the side-lines and doing superbly to stay in play as he side-stepped a would-be defender before turning on the after-burners for a fabulous 70-metre effort.

Touching down under the posts left Humberstone with a simple conversion, and it looked like the hosts had added another soon after, Brad Clements touching down only for Rampton to sportingly own up to a knock-on in the build-up.

However, the home side did pull further clear with another terrific try, this time young scrum-half Ollie Hodgson showing some dancing feet to beat three opponents from just inside the Cambridge’ 22.

He, too, dived over for a simple Humberstone kick, and Rams were only denied a fourth before the break when a tremendous cover tackle denied Alex Mannhardt following more fine work from Lamb.

Leading 19-5 at the interval, Rams collected another super try at the end of the third quarter, some wonderful handling sending Rampton down the right before he returned the favour to the impressive Lamb – an inside ball nudged forward by the full back who then touched down.

Humberstone was on target, but Cambridge gave themselves hope as Daniel Hide crossed.

Yet with both sides ringing the changes, there were to be no more scores as Rams recorded a notable victory.

The Development XV host the Royal Air Force next Wednesday (7pm).

Rams Rugby Football Club

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