Preview Titans at home against Rams

When you are ten games into the season but yet to register a win in front of your home fans, the propositions don’t come any tougher than taking on the league leaders. Unless, that is, the league leaders are undefeated and have claimed the full five points from every one of their fixtures thus far. This is what confronts Taunton Titans when Rams come to lock horns at Veritas Park on Saturday.

The Titans will have appreciated the breathing space afforded by a weekend off. Last time out they suffered a 40-13 defeat in the North-East at Darlington, a side only a place above them in the table when the game kicked off. Rams, meanwhile, enjoyed a comfortable home win over Plymouth Albion.

From Sonning, close to Reading, Rams were promoted into National League One for the first ever time just a year before Taunton’s own elevation to that level. The club was formed in 1924 by former pupils of Reading School and was called Old Redingensians RFC. In time the playing numbers no longer reflected the school’s alumni and the name changed simply to Redingensians. The nickname Rams, derived from the animal featuring on the coat of arms of Reading, became the formal name of the club in 2018 and, with London Irish moving from the Madejski Stadium to Brentford, Rams is proudly the leading rugby club in town.

Titans can take heart by recalling Rams’ last visit to Somerset. In a thriller, the home side won the day by a single point, 18-17. On that occasion the strings were pulled by half-backs Sam Maunder and Jack Walsh. The tries were scored by Frankie Dartand Sam Prior whilst it fell to Gary Kingdom to kick the vital goals.

Director of Rugby and Head Coach Seb Reynolds has assembled quite a unit at the Old Bath Road club. Amongst them will be one familiar face. Dan Swain moved on from Veritas Park over the summer and has made quite an impression in the second row for Rams. Amongst his team-mates, fly-half Drew Humberstone and his brother Tom both played for Oxford University in last year’s Varsity Match and Rams captain Robbie Stapley is on red-hot form at Number 8.

The match is sponsored by long term Taunton RFC Supporter A1 Windows and doors and the matchball is sponsored by Civil Solutions, we look forward to welcoming them and their guests to Veritas Park.

Taunton’s second-string Warriors, meanwhile, face a trip to Imperial RFC in Brislington, Bristol. John Wrelton’s Warriors are in second place in the league, three places above their hosts.

Entrance to Veritas Park is £15 per adult. The fabulous two-course pre-match carvery lunch is not to be missed and can be booked by emailing functions@tauntonrfc.co.uk or by calling 01823 336363. Parking at Veritas Park on Hyde Lane is available and costs £5 per vehicle. Kick-off is at 3pm.

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