The job they did on the Highlanders’ scrum really set the tone.

Prop Ross Fletcher was one of the linchpins of that and duly adjudged the player of the grand final, somewhat to his surprise.

“It was very much a surprise,” Fletcher said.

“I thought other people deserved it.

“But it was quite humbling to win.”

It wasn’t just his work at the scrum.

As he has done throughout the season, he also carted the ball up strongly.

Playing for the Rams is “not compulsory but expected,” he joked with his brother Jock, the current president and not that long ago having hung up the boots, and father Warwick both coaching and playing for the Rams.

Sunday was Fletcher’s fourth grand final with the Rams, and second title after being part of the 2009 side that won the second grade premiership.

That was the club’s first since 1997 which was, before Sunday, their last first grade triumph.

He said going into Sunday they had been putting a lot of focus on the scrum to stabilise their game plan.

“We’ve been working hard on the scrum,” he said.

“Getting our timing and unity together.”

“That’s really paid dividends for us the last few weeks.

“Even our reserve forwards. 

“Everyone’s working hard,” he said.

They know if they do provide the platform the backs will do the rest.

“We’re pretty blessed to have the speed we’ve got and the  skill in the centres,” Fletcher said.

“It’s quite nice to pop up from the scrum and see the backs moving the ball away.”

They were brilliant on Sunday, cutting the Highlanders apart.

But as skipper Simon Newton remarked afterwards, it was the dominance the forwards set that gave them the freedom to work their magic.

Fletcher said they felt in a pretty good position at half-time up 17-3.

“Leading into half-time we were doing a lot of things right,” he said.

“There were a couple of things we needed to fix.”

Newton effectively sealed it for them with a try midway through the second half.

Then came the try that warmed the heart of  every forward – aside from the Highlanders –  a pushover try.

“A pushover try is always nice. They’re good spirit- lifters,” Fletcher said.