Attitude is crucial for Titans to continue run

Lee Blackett says his Rotherham Titans players need to apply a professional attitude to avoid a slip-up at home to Jersey today.
Rotherham Titans head coach Lee BlackettRotherham Titans head coach Lee Blackett
Rotherham Titans head coach Lee Blackett

Rotherham continued their head-turning start to the Greene King IPA Championship season last Friday night with a narrow win over London Scottish.

Today’s match-up is the type of game that in the past has proven a banana skin for the Titans, who one week can surprise a big club at Clifton Lane, and then follow it up with a callow performance on the road the next. But as they strive for consistency to maintain their positive form, Blackett believes they need to be on their mettle against the Channel Islanders.

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“Although we are massively confident in our own abilities as a side, we are not good enough that we only have to turn up to win games,” said Blackett.

“For me it’s about attitude and that’s something that we concentrate a lot on here.

“I’ll never fault the boys for making mistakes because that’s part and parcel of the game, but I won’t tolerate boys not having the right attitude and not giving 100 per cent.

“And I know if we are going to give ourselves a chance against Jersey our attitude will have to be spot on. Looking at Jersey pre-season they would be a top-six side and from what I’ve seen so far I know they’ll be right up there at the end of the season.

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“You only have to look at some of their victories in the Championship this year, beating Bedford at home and Nottingham away; that proves they are a good side and that they can travel well.”

Doncaster host Tynedale this lunchtime, hungry to get their National One title tilt back on track after last week’s shock loss at Henley.

The defeat saw Rosslyn Park pull to within three points and with the Londoners on the horizon this month, as well as a date with Esher, Knights chief Clive Griffiths is branding the month of November as pivotal to their aspirations.

“We’re not going to dwell too much on the defeat, especially as we have four massive games in November which could make or break the season,” said Griffiths.

Hull Ionians take their bid for a first win in National One on the road to Blackheath today.