Team News: Titans v Billingham

In the final round of fixtures this Saturday Rotherham Titans will be crowned National 2 North Champions if they can beat Billingham at Greenwood Road; kick-off is 3pm.

Rotherham has enjoyed a hugely successful season having lost just one game all year and should they grab the win over Billingham it would be fitting that they lift the trophy.

However, no one is underestimating the task in hand as the County Durham based outfit have had a recent upturn in form.

Indeed, Billingham have won their last 3 games at home and have also notched-up victories on their artificial pitch over Huddersfield, Hull Ionians, Sheffield Tigers, Tynedale, Sheffield and last time out impressed with a fine win over Wharfedale.

Furthermore, Billingham require one point to avoid relegation and consequently will be going all out to preserve their status as a National 2 club.

With that in mind Rotherham will maintain the same approach that has taken them to the brink of their first promotion for 21 years; the last one being in 2003 which lifted them back into the Premiership after a 2-year absence.

Titans are in good form too, having won their last 14 games, all with bonus points and impressed last time out with a hard-fought, but well-deserved win over South Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Tigers.

The sides have faced each other only once before, that came on the opening day of the season at Clifton Lane where Rotherham ran out 52-24 winners.

Going into this week’s match Rotherham have made just one change to the starting XV that beat Tigers, with Harry Newborn coming into the back row for Rupert Kay.

Titans: 15 Jack Townend, 14 Tomasi Tanumi, 13 Lloyd Hayes, 12 Harry Dunne, 11 Jack Taylor, 10 Will Milner, 9 JB Bruzulier, 1 Charlie Capps, 2 Jack Bergmanas, 3 Gareth Denman, 4 Zak Poole (Capt.), 19 John Okafor, 25 Harry Newborn, 7 Laurence Cowen-Leak, 8 Callum Bustin.

Replacements: 16 Luke Cole, 17 Loma Kivalu, 30 Reece Ward, 23 Marcus Payne/ Rupert Kay, 22 Will Metcalfe.