Rotherham Titans are all-set for the biggest game of the season in National 2 North, when they host Yorkshire rivals Leeds Tykes on Saturday in round 23; kick-off at Clifton Lane is 2pm.
Second-placed Rotherham are currently five points adrift of Leeds at the top; but know a bonus point win, coupled with denying Leeds a bonus point, would leave both sides level on 108 points with 3 games remaining.
A tighter tussle could not have been foreseen at the outset back in September.
So the stakes are indeed high and the outcome of the game will inevitably have a significant bearing on which side tops the log at the end of April.
It’s a shame that only one of these teams can be promoted, as both of these fine Yorkshire clubs have been outstanding all year.
Tykes are unbeaten after 22 games with a free-scoring style that has seen them win often by huge margins; whilst Rotherham have lost just once, that being a narrow 26-20 reversal to Leeds back in November at West Park.
So, all-in-all another close, competitive clash is expected.
Rotherham come into the game on the back of a really good performance at Hull last week where they ran out 47-29 winners, scoring 7 tries along the way.
Leeds too impressed last time out as they hammered Lymm 78-17 at The Sycamores, scoring an incredible 12 tries.
Titans and Tykes have a shared history having competed against each other in various prestigious competitions over the years. They have ‘gone at it’ in the Tetley’s Bitter Cup, Allied Dunbar Premiership 2, the British & Irish Cup, the Championship and the Premiership.
Overall the sides have met on 33 occasions with the West Yorkshire outfit leading the battle by 20-13.
Going into the game on Saturday Rotherham have made just one change to the starting XV that beat Hull, with Lloyd Hayes returning from injury at outside centre. His reappearance means Tomasi Tanumi moves on to the wing for Cuchulain Livingstone.
Speaking ahead to the game Titans Gaz Lewis said:
“Hull put in a really good performance against us last week; I thought the way they moved the ball challenge our defence and they were pretty impressive.
“However, for us to score the best part of 50 points away from home is another superb effort. Once we clicked into gear we showed we’re able to score in a number of ways and overall it was a terrific performance on the road.
“We hit a purple patch at the start of the second half where the boys showed what they’re capable of by scoring 4 quick tries; but this week it’ll need to be an 80-minute performance if we are to come out on the right side of the result.
“First of all when you look at Leeds you have to give them enormous credit for the run they are on. They’ve shown a superb attacking brand of rugby and they deserve all the plaudits they have received.
“They managed to nullify our threats earlier in the season when we played them at their place. That was part 1 of this 2-part thriller and I’m sure all eyes throughout the north of England will be focused on this game.
“They’ll be lots of interest surrounding the match; we have two clubs that have played in the higher echelons of the game and it’s another big occasion between two top Yorkshire sides.
“I think it will be close whatever the final outcome; there was very little between the sides back in November at West Park. They managed to capitalise on a couple of errors we made, but it was a real close encounter and the game was decided by fine margins.
“The game will ebb and flow again on Saturday and each team will have their moments and we’ll need to make sure we’re clinical when we get ours.”
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.), 5 Matt Smith, 19 John Okafor, 7 Laurence Cowen-Leak, 8 Callum Bustin.
Replacements: 25 Harry Newborn, 17 Loma Kivalu, 30 Reece Ward, 16 Rupert Kay, 20 Will Metcalfe.
