The Rams kicked off the 2026 season in devastating style, dismantling the Glasgow Tigers 56-2 at West Leeds RUFC in a performance that was dominant from the opening whistle.

After winning the toss and deferring, the Rams kicked off and the Tigers picked up a first down on a big run from Ben Attah before an offside penalty negated a fumble recovery for the Rams before the drive stalled. The Rams responded with authority as Elliot Jackson powered through for back-to-back first downs, carrying the ball on every play of the drive before Michael Rojas sneaked it in to open the scoring. The PAT was good to make it 7-0.

Glasgow continued to rely on the ground game but were forced to punt again, with the punter accidentally taking a knee to hand the Rams excellent field position. Jono Bell-Davis broke free for a touchdown on the ensuing drive, only for a holding penalty to bring it back. Undeterred, Bell-Davis ran it in again two plays later. The PAT was good to make it 14-0. The Tigers had a response wiped out of their own when a touchdown from Attah was called back for holding, and the first quarter ended with the Rams firmly in control.

Tyler Broad made a touchdown-saving tackle early in the second quarter as the Tigers continued to lean on Attah and the ground game, but the Glasgow running back was visibly tiring. A huge stop by Dan Haywood at the Rams’ 4-yard line forced a turnover on downs, and Bell-Davis capitalised immediately with an 86-yard touchdown run on the very first play of the next drive — in what would have been his third score of the day on three touches, if not for one being called back. The PAT was good to stretch the lead to 21-0.

Glasgow switched to the passing game but could not move the ball, and the Rams took over again. Bell-Davis was finally stopped, but a pass from Rojas to Fred Jones picked up a first down. Two big penalties against the Tigers moved the Rams inside the 10, and Rojas kept the ball on the read option to score. The PAT was good again to make it 28-0.

The Tigers went three-and-out and punted as the two-minute warning sounded. Broad fielded the punt and returned it all the way for another touchdown. The PAT was good to push the lead to 35-0. The Rams then recovered a short kickoff, and a big pass from Rojas to Matt Snell took them to the 1-yard line, where Rojas sneaked it in for his third score of the afternoon. The PAT was good and the Rams took a commanding 42-0 lead into halftime.

The second half began with another strong return from Broad, who brought the short kickoff back inside the Glasgow 30. A big pass from Rojas to Ben Dolan set up Bell-Davis, who ran it in on the next play for his third official touchdown. The PAT was good to make it 49-0.

A fumble from Attah bounced straight into the hands of a teammate, keeping the drive alive, but it was not long before tempers flared. Attah was involved in a confrontation that saw Daniel Barker and Steven Godward ejected for the Rams. Despite the disruption, Attah continued to run the ball well for the Tigers before a pass was picked off by Broad and returned for a touchdown. The PAT was good to make it 56-0. The Rams then forced another fumble, recovered by Faith Arijoba, as the third quarter came to an end.

Tyler Coare took over at quarterback in the fourth quarter and moved the ball for a first down before the Rams punted for the first time in the game. Glasgow punted it back, and a blindside block penalty pushed the home side deep into their own territory. The very next play ended in a safety to make it 56-2. After a brief final drive, Glasgow ran out the remaining time to bring the game to a close.

The Rams could not have asked for a better start to the new season, with all three phases of the team contributing in a comprehensive opening-day victory. The attention now turns to the next fixture against an old foe in the Newcastle Vikings as the Rams look to build on this dominant performance.