Titans in wide-open title race

Results have shown that all 12 teams are capable of winning games regardless of the opposition, a fact hammered home by Rotherham’s defeats this term against the likes of strugglers London Scottish, Plymouth and latterly Esher.

Similarly, other big guns have had their blips.

Bristol won’t relish the memory of their 44-6 stuffing at Clifton Lane in October while they lost last time out at London Welsh, who three weeks ago ended the Titans’ unbeaten home record despite having lost heavily in the sides’ previous meeting at Old Deer Park.

Leeds lost at Plymouth a fortnight ago on the same day that Cornish Pirates played their get out of jail card at Esher, when they overturned a 17-0 deficit to edge home.

It all means that no-one is prepared to splash the cash on a title bet.

Says Bester: “This league is 20 per cent stronger than last season, with the quality of the teams and the quality of the play.

“You just have to look at where Worcester and Exeter are in the Premiership, they are the last two teams to come through this division.

“It’s questionable whether the Premiership is as strong as it should be or whether it’s the Championship that’s picked up. There is actually a much smaller gap between the teams at the bottom and the top and that’s been proven."