Titans boss Blackett looking for more from his players

Blackett’s men have won their last two matches after slipping to defeat on the opening weekend at London Scottish, but have yet to hit the heights they managed last season when they finished fourth.

The head coach took few positives out of their win over Plymouth at Clifton Lane last week and is expecting better from his charges on their visit to the Channel Islands today.

“We’ll give them the respect they deserve, but if we are to get anything from the game we’ll need to be at our very best, anything less than that simply won’t be good enough,” said Blackett.

“We can be certain Jersey are going to present us with a stern test.

“We know our pack will be tested to the limit. Everyone knows Jersey have a big pack of forwards and they’ve always prided themselves on the scrum and driving maul.

“When you review Jersey there’s not too much that comes off the scrum as they always try to scrum you to penalty and it will be a big test for us.

“When you look at their squad on paper you realise what a very good set of players they’ve assembled this year.

“They have guys who have played Super 15, Rabo Direct and Premiership rugby; they’ve got a great Championship squad there and it’s a definite top-six squad.”

Rotherham welcome back full-back Sean Scanlon after injury, Joel Gill gets the nod at outside centre following Jack 
Roberts hamstring injury and Jamie Broadley comes in for top scorer Curtis Wilson, who suffered a knee injury against Plymouth.

In the pack Lewis Thiede makes his first Championship start.

Wharfedale have the chance to be the first team to take the scalp of red-hot promotion favourites Ealing Trailfinders at Threshfields in National One today.

Ealing, relegated from the Championship last term, have set about the task of booking an immediate return with purpose, winning all three of their matches so far, two of them on their new 3G pitch.

On the natural grass of their home patch, Jon Feeley’s team – without the services of Phillip Woodhead who is on Sevens duty in Kenya – will look to build on two wins from their three games so far.