Ambitious Titans eye Millmoor move to reach goal

Getting into this year’s promotion play-offs was merely a target to help speed up player recruitment for next season and a grand ambition to move the Rotherham Titans back into full-time rugby.

Thank heavens then he is not placing any stock in the current team’s play-off performances.

A whopping 24 tries conceded in their opening three games prior to Saturday’s latest defeat – 24-16 at home to Cornish Pirates, when they only conceded one – is a consequence of getting a head start on their Championship rivals for next season, according to their South African head coach.

“This year has been all about progressing towards next season,” explained Bester, as to why his side have been humbled at every turn over the last month.

“Top four next season is a very attainable goal for us. This season was never about us winning promotion, it was about us getting in a stronger position to do that next season – and we have done that.”

Despite results this post-season suggesting otherwise, ambitions remain high at Rotherham.

In order to further supplement their bid for a Premiership challenge with on-the-field recruits, they are also looking at meeting Rugby Football Union criteria for promotion to the Premiership, by moving grounds, with Rotherham United’s former Millmoor home a potential site.

“Don Valley Stadium is another site on our radar,” explained club director Nick Cragg. “We cannot meet our aspirations at Clifton Lane.”

Cragg and fellow director Martin Jenkinson amicably parted company with local businessman Spencer Fearn recently, the Rotherham entrepreneur choosing to focus on other interests. He came in as director with former football agent Eric Hall in tow, but the two will play no further part in Rotherham’s planned revival.

Bester is staying ,though, after signing a one-year extension last week, and said of the club’s ambitions: “We are also planning on moving into full-time training for the players next season.

“We do not want the players being too concerned with outside influences, other than helping out in our community department.

“And our recruitment has already started. I’ve brought in Semisi Taulava from Birmingham. He was the best forward in the league for me this year and that proves our ambitions.

“Sam Dickinson (flanker) staying is also a big re-signing for us.”

What will worry the Clifton Lane faithful though, is the number of players moving out.

Joe Bedford, this year’s captain, was given too short a timespan by the club to sign a new contract, so is bound for the Magners League and Newport Gwent-Dragons.

Back-row Ryan Burrows is set to join Leeds Carnegie while fellow forwards Colin Quigley and Adam Kettle are headed for Doncaster.

“There’s going to be a 60 per cent turnover of players,” said Bester. “I have learned how the league has changed. It’s a lot more physical, a lot more professional. Our recruitment has reflected that.

“Yes we have released a lot of players, and chopped and changed in the play-offs, but if there was a realistic chance of us reaching the Premiership, I wouldn’t have released those players.

“We are now playing players I want to have a look at for next season.”

Cragg added: “Andre is confident that with the budget we have outlined for next season, we can punch above our weight, and his history at the club proves he can do that.”

On Saturday, Rotherham may well have lost their fourth successive game in the play-offs but in terms of attitude, resolve and spirit, the performance did much to restore and regain the Titans’ credibility.

Rotherham fought non-stop during a highly-committed effort which earned its reward with a late try from fly-half Cliffie Hodgson, his first in the Championship.

The other individual contributor to make an impact as Pirates were subjected to several periods of pressure by Rotherham’s competitive pack was centre Juan Pablo Socino, who kicked three penalties.

The future of the Argentinean, Rotherham’s leading points scorer is unclear. He has been offered a new contract but is reported to be considering several others, including the possibility of joining Leicester Tigers and Nottingham as a dual registered player.

Another Birmingham and Solihull forward joining is Adrian Griffiths.

Pirates won by two tries to one, but Rotherham should have scored at least two more tries in the second half, but they twice lost lineout ball near the Pirates’ line and prop Rob O’Donnell also knocked on as he was about to put the ball down.

Rotherham Titans: M James, Swatkins, Welding (S James 44), Socino, Rhodes, Hodgson, Bedford, Harris (Kilbane 60), Loney, O’Donnell (Aikman 77), McGowan, Smidt, Doneghan (Worrall 65), Baines, Burrows.

Cornish Pirates: Cook, Pointer, Hopper, Luke (Doherty 76), Locke (Burgess 40), Bentley, Cattle, Andrew (Storer 70), Ward (Elloway 70), Paver (Rimmer 76), Myerscough (Holmes 78), Gulliver, Morgan, Betty, Marriott (McGlone 20).

Referee: T Hall.