Rotherham Titans battle through adversity in defeat to promotion rivals
ROTHERHAM Titans will re-group and get ready for another huge promotion clash on Saturday after bad luck struck in the weekend loss to Blackheath.
Titans lost the services of scrum-half JB Bruzulier shortly before the game and then his half-back partner, Rob Povey, to a potentially season-ending shoulder injury during the second half of the 22-15 away defeat.
That loss, combined with a victory for second-placed Plymouth Albion, trimmed Titans’ lead at the top of National One to a point ahead of the Devon side’s visit to Clifton Lane on Saturday (2pm).
Blackheath are third, five points shy of top spot.
"We went away from home against a form team. We had a bit of adversity and despite that we came away with a point,” team chief Harvey Biljon told the Advertiser.
"We were waiting until the morning of the game to see if JB would be fit. On Thursday night our second row Harry Gilson-Fox was ill with food poisoning or whatever it was. He was ready to go in the game but he had to go on and off four times to get treatment after being poked in the eye and with him being the line-out caller we were a little bit disrupted.
"Then, when we were starting to get back into the game with 30 minutes to go, we lost Rob Povey.
"They’re not excuses. It is what it is. It disrupts the flow of things.
"With all that, plus the other bits and pieces, the team’s determination to battle on and get that losing bonus point was very good.”
Blackheath’s strong start in which they scored two tries to help open up a 12-0 gave them the launchpad to go on and win the contest.
They ended it with four tries in all and a bonus point. Combined with their win over Plymouth the previous week, it puts the London outfit in the mix for the one automatic promotion spot.
Titans’ consolation was a try in each half for Lloyd Hayes and Jackson Barling.
"We were frustrated we weren’t better in a couple of key moments and came second best on the day,” added Biljon. “It looked like two top teams going at it.
"We’ve got Plymouth here next and that is a huge game. No matter what it was always going to be a big game.
"We know how tight it is and we know how tough it is. Subject to the bangs and the bruises and the whole nature of the beast, I think our squad’s spirit is in a good space.
"I’ve never not yet seen a Rotherham team bounce back from a result that didn’t go their way.
"This season will go right down to the wire.”