'You never want to be stagnant' - humble Ramm ready to kick on in second season at Saints

The Australian ace took to life at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens like a duck to water last season, having switched to Saints from NSW Waratahs.

He was eventually crowned breakthrough player and players’ player of the season, having notched eight tries in only 19 appearances.

And Ramm was close to making it a treble as he just missed out to Fraser Dingwall in the supporter vote.

It was a stunning campaign from the back, who shone at 15 and on the wing.

But at the age of 25, there is still clearly much more to come from a man who has ensured his name is now one of the first on the Saints teamsheet.

And there are certainly no signs of Ramm getting carried away, as he remains one of the most modest players around.

"I say it a bit but I'm not out there on my own,” Ramm said. “Everyone else does their jobs and I'm just sort of sitting on the wing scoring some tries, which is the easy part.

"But I am very happy with how my season went and the main thing is that I feel like I've become a better player, which is the main reason I moved over here.

"I had a few injuries and a few hiccups so it wasn't looking great, but it definitely came good at the back end of the season, which is always a nice thing.

"There's always room for growth and this year it's about choosing a couple of specific areas that the coaches and I feel I can improve and then I want to keep stepping forward.

"You never want to be stagnant.”

Ramm certainly wasn’t stagnant at any point last season as he caused huge problems for opposition teams with his aerial agility and impressive footwork.

But even though his star continued to rise, he remained level-headed, as shown by his choice of transport.

"I get a lot of flak for my car," said Ramm, who was pictured loading his end-of-season awards into his Hyundai by Saints skipper Lewis Ludlam, who duly posted it on Twitter.

"It's a very ugly car but it does the job so I don't see the problem with it.

"We did pick it up when I arrived in England and it had done 15,000 miles or something so it was pretty cheap.

"We thought we would need a little runaround car and that'll do.

"I definitely get abuse for it probably every day.

"It keeps me grounded.”

Ramm, who is English-qualified, was so impressive for Saints that he was given a taste of life in camp with the Red Rose last season.

"International rugby is the goal of every professional rugby player and it was very nice to have a tiny taste of what it's like in those (England) camps and to meet the people in charge there," he said.

"But that only comes from performing at your club. That will always be the focus and then whatever comes from that is the fruits of your labour.”

Ramm will go into the new season with far more expectation on his shoulders than when he arrived at Saints last summer.

But it looks unlikely to faze him.

"I feel very settled,” Ramm said.

"It's obviously a lot more familiar now because I remember this time last year I was still meeting people and getting into the swing of things.

"It feels like home now, which is nice.”

Saints finished fourth in the Gallagher Premiership last season, eventually losing at Saracens in the play-off semi-finals.

But they have added the likes of Tom Pearson and Burger Odendaal to their squad over the summer.

And hopes are high of an improved league finish.

"From the start of the season to the end, we grew a lot as a team,” Ramm said.

"The combinations we've had are really coming strong, and then with a few additions top four was our aim. We did that by the skin of our teeth but we got there.

"Overall, it wasn't a bad season at all.

"It sets us up nicely for this year and going that step further.

"The recruits we've made are really class, they've filled gaps and recruited to push the competition in spots. It makes everyone better.

"We're happy with where we're sitting at the moment.”

Saints play their first pre-season game a week on Saturday (August 26) as they travel to Goldington Road to take on Championship side Bedford Blues.

Phil Dowson’s men will then host the Barbarians in an exhibition match before beginning their competitive campaign with a Premiership Rugby Cup trip to Ealing Trailfinders on September 10.

That will be the first of five cup games before the Gallagher Premiership season starts with a tricky match at Sale Sharks, who were runners-up to Saracens at the end of the previous campaign.

And Ramm is relishing the challenges that lie in wait in the weeks and months ahead.

He said: “I can't wait!

"I'd love to play a game tomorrow.

"Everyone talks about the long season and your bodies are all broken but after the way that last season ended, we want a bit more.

"Everyone's champing at the bit to get out there.

"I'm looking at the pitch (at the Gardens) now and it looks impeccable.

"Everyone is really excited for this year.”