Tough start for Titans

TITANS have been given the toughest of starts in the Rugby Union Championship—but head coach Andre Bester says his new-look side will rise to the challenge.

Bester’s side face a daunting first five league games against the four top sides in last year’s regular season table plus relegated Worcester.

They open at beaten Championship finalists Bristol on August 28 and, after hosting Bedford the following week, then head to Worcester’s Sixways. Titans then take on Nottingham at Clifton Lane before another on-the-road toughie at London Welsh.

But Bester says: “We’re not worried—every obstacle will give us the chance to measure ourselves.”

His signing spree continued this week with the recruitment of Rugby League starlet Joe Walsh and highly-rated former Nottingham hooker Alex Loney and Bester is confident that his side will hit the ground running.

“We will get a good impression of how good we are by playing the harder sides,” he said.