RAMS star Drew Humberstone believes the 2021/22 National One campaign will be extra special when it returns in September, writes Richard Ashton.
Coming off the back of Varsity success with Oxford University alongside brother Tom, the inside centre or fly-half, is delighted to be building up for the next campaign.
He said: “Most people (at other clubs) speak of pre-season as a dreaded word and two months of slog, but the past ones I’ve had here have always been good fun and about going out and playing and expressing ourselves.
“Seb (Reynolds) has managed to create that environment and now it’s been pretty much two seasons without rugby, I can’t wait for September 4 to get back to National One action.”
He continued: “The build-up to that first game will be extra special and hopefully we can get similar crowds down to what we had before and fill the new stand – the first home game will be an amazing day and hopefully the start of a really special season.”
Humberstone played a key role in Rams’ maiden campaign at Level Three, helping the side to a runners-up finish after the season was cut short. Their last game was a dramatic 40-38 triumph at Cinderford.
He continued: “It’s been said a number of times, but it can’t be emphasised enough when we came into the league we were looking to finish fourth bottom as a huge success.
“We got off to the dream start of winning the first four and five of the first six, but we were always very careful about not getting too far ahead of ourselves.
“The momentum kept building and we were going to some huge name clubs in rugby history which was really special, so for what in essence is a small and new club in Rams, it really was an amazing time.”
Another special time was enjoyed by the Humberstones earlier this month, when they helped Oxford to a 34-7 victory in the re-arranged Varsity game against Cambridge.
It was Drew’s maiden start for the Dark Blues, while Tom was making his third appearance.
Drew said: “It was different for many reasons, obviously being played under the adapted laws and at Welford Road away from Twickenham, but it can’t take anything away from the build-up we had as a team and playing with Tom.
“Getting to spend that much time with him in the build-up was something special, as was being the first brothers to play together for Oxford more than 50 years.
“It was a really special occasion for us and the family, and I was just really pleased for the whole squad we could perform the way we did and secure the win.”
While the Varsity triumph was another tick in the box for Drew, he concluded there’s no better place to be back at Old Bath Road, ending: “I gave myself one day off before coming back into it, but it’s such
a great place to be here at Rams.”
