National 2 South
Taunton Titans 31, Redingensians Rams 21

THIS was third against fourth, and was billed as the game of the week in the league, so it was fitting that both teams didn’t disappoint with a great display of rugby, writes Keith Brooking.

After two successive defeats before the Autumn Internationals break, the Titans got back on track with victory, which keeps them within touching distance of the top two in the league ahead of their head-to-heads over the next two weekends.

It was the visiting Rams that started the game with a bang, going over in the opening minutes with a try for prop Andy Berry which was converted by Thomas Humberstone.

The game then settled down, with both defences seemingly on top, before the Titans drew level courtesy of a try from back rower Brett Harvey, with the extras added by Toby East.

The Rams tried to get their powerful mauling game into play, but it was the Titans that seemed to control the game towards the end of the first half, the hosts rewarded with a penalty kicked by East to give them a half time lead of 10-7.

But once again it was the visitors that started the half the brightest, with a try from winger Jak Rossiter again converted by Humberstone to give them a four-point lead after the interval.

Undeterred, the home side then started to control the ball and the game, scoring three converted tries in 15 minutes.

The first of those was scored by captain Nick Mason, which was followed by one for winger Aron Struminski and the other for full-back Ollie Rice, and all three were converted by scrum-half Connor Banks for a 31-14 lead.

Redingensians kept playing, though, and winger Conor Corrigan went over, with Humberstone adding the conversion to make the final score 31-21.

Taunton Titans: Rice, Struminski, Mason (c), East (Claydon 56), Fraser (Oliphant-Thompson 79), Webb, Banks, Baker, Spurdle (Hamilton 27-56), Dalton, England (Davis 53), Lugg (England 62), Harvey, Vakalutukali, Prior (Oliphant-Thompson 27-68).
Referee: Mr Nick Wood
Attendance: 480