Rotherham return comes quickly for ex-Titans favourite Zak Poole

The club’s all-time leading try scorer will be coming back with his new club, Sheffield RUFC, for a pre-season friendly on Friday, August 22.

Poole left Rotherham after seven years and more than 150 appearances at the end of last season to join the Abbeydale club, who are coached by former Titans head coach Anthony Posa.

As things stand it will be Poole’s first game for Sheffield, who are fresh from a strong year in National Two North last season.

Titans director of rugby, Harvey Biljon, said: “Sheffield finished second last season and they are probably going to be carrying that favourites tag all of next season so I thought they would be really good opposition for us.”

The match is one of three home warm-up games ahead of the new National One campaign.

They are all on Friday nights (7.30pm), starting with a visit from Hull Ionians on August 15 and ending against Durham University on August 29.

“The Durham fixture is becoming a traditional one for us,” said Biljon. “Their speed and style of play poses something completely different to our players before we run into the season.

“Durham are very competitive and I think they will be even more so this time.

“As for Hull Ionians, they were one of the teams I would have picked to probably finish better than they did last term. I’m sure they will be turning things around and I understand they have recruited reasonably well so that will be another good test for us.”

Titans report back for pre-season training on Monday, June 23.

The club’s next batch of signings will be revealed on Titans Tuesday in the clubhouse next week.

The back division quartet of Lloyd Hayes, JB Bruzulier, Jamie Cooke and Cuchlain Livingstone have already committed for 2025/26 along with prop Andrew Foster.

Next season’s fixture list will be out in the next couple of weeks.