Ten-try Rotherham Titans scent promotion as rivals stumble

Try scorer Zak Poole in action for Rotherham Titans against Preston Grasshoppers. Pictures by Kerrie Beddows

Their thumping victory over Preston Grasshoppers, combined with leaders Leeds Tykes’ 18-15 loss at Fylde, means Titans will take top spot and promotion back to National One should they win their final two matches.

That scenario seemed unthinkable a short while ago when Leeds arrived at Rotherham on the back of 22 wins.

But their loss at Clifton Lane and now on the Fylde coast has flipped the National Two North promotion race on its head.

Jack Townend claims one of his two tries.

Titans ran in ten tries to beat Preston 67-20, preserving their unbeaten home record and completing a 13th straight win.

Jack Townend claimed two of the tries and there was on each from John Okafor, Charlie Capps, Zak Poole, Jack Taylor, Luke Cole, Cuchulain Livingstone, Callum Bustin and Lloyd Hayes. The league’s leading points scorer also added 15 points from the tee for a personal tally of 20. Will Milner also chipped in with two points.

Titans rugby consultant Harvey Biljon said: “It was great to see John score early. We battled through the first half and the second half was just great.

"We’ve seen the team’s improvements in the statistics we put together but that was a big step in the right direction today.”

Rotherham now trail Leeds by only three points and play their game in hand on them away to Sheffield Tigers next weekend before a final-day trip up to Billingham. Leeds end their season on the same day at home to third-placed Sheffield RUFC.

Added Biljon: "The job is not done. We need to maintain our standards. We’ve got two tough away matches to go and we are going to need all the support we can get at Tigers and Billingham.”