Future is bright for Titans despite an early exit

Indeed, such was the level of performance, the South African was left frustrated that a Titans squad containing just four Championship regulars did not actually secure the unlikely win at Clifton Lane on Saturday.

Ulster may have boasted a pack of seasoned Heineken Cup, Premiership and Celtic League operatives but it was they who looked like the rookies as Rotherham’s forwards forcefully fashioned two tries from line-out drives in the opening 11 minutes.

That saw them go 12-3 up but, unfortunately, as much as they competed throughout, a series of basic handling mistakes contrived to see them concede too much possession and they were eventually edged as they exited the competition.

“Everybody performed admirably,” said Bester, impressive openside Carl Kirwan romping in for their fourth try in the 75th minute to secure a second bonus point.

“But it’s very difficult for us to play matches like this.

“The last time this team played together was against Swansea about five weeks back but Ulster have played four or five on the trot in that time.

“They have good continuity and are a big organisation yet I thought, rather than them winning it, we went and lost this.”

Jonathan McMahon had come in from his wing to finish off the opening score, Cifford Hodgson converting, and, after James McKinney had responded with an Ulster penalty, the hosts soon rumbled over again.

This time it was veteran flanker Ben Wade – a more familiar scorer in such situations – emerging from the heap of forwards but Hodgson could not improve.

Ulster, who qualify for the quarter-finals as pool victors, hit back swiftly courtesy of a Hodgson mistake, the fly-half being charged down as he tried to clear the re-start. Rotherham erred and McKinney’s boot cut the deficit.

The Ravenhill outfit created a splendid try on 22 minutes as some clever off-loading from ex-Rotherham No 8 Michael McComish and Andrew Kyriacou saw prop Callum Black crash over, McKinney putting his side in front for the first time.

Ulster could not deal with Adrian Griffths in the line-out though and they were lucky not to concede a penalty try after taking the lock out while he was still in the air.

But Rotherham – with Bester’s 18-year-old son Jan-Francois at hooker – messed up the following line-out, the sort of unforced mistake which dented their chances.

Some feeble tackling then allowed Ulster full-back Peter Nelson to weave through in the 34th minute and McKinney also missed a penalty attempt just before the break.

In the second period, centres Byron Godfrey and Elliott Brierley combined well in midfield to open the visitors up but, after Conor Gaston had performed the crucial tackle, more slack handling saw Rotherham let them off the hook.

Titans scrum-half Matthew Rhodes tracked back to deny Ulster winger Chris Cochrane a try before – after a long period of pressure – Rotherham finally got their third try.

Rhodes’s box-kick was collected brilliantly by Peter Homan, the lively winger who out-jumped three Ulstermen before scurrying to the line in the 59th minute.

That saw his side trail 18-17 but Hodgson somehow missed the simple conversion that he was left with and when he knocked on under no pressure direct from a scrum, Ulster widened the margin with Cochrane escaping Godfrey’s tackle to break free, before replacement Michael Allen did the rest.

Nelson then added a penalty in the 71st minute before Kirwan’s effort, improved by Hodgson, gave the hosts hope.

However, in the final seconds, Ulster finished just as Rotherham had started, Willie Faloon profiting from a line-out drive.

Replacement Blane McIlory could not hit the target from wide out meaning the South Yorkshire club – who will look potentially at Don Valley Stadium as their new home now hopes of moving to Millmoor have collapsed – were not denied a losing bonus point.

Bester, who will restore the majority of his rested first team for the crucial Championship visit of Nottingham on Christmas Eve, said: “For the first 15 minutes we looked very, very good.

“The young players did really well and a few showed they can really kick on and become not only outstanding players at this level but also the next.

“What was disappointing though was our core skills.

“They were poor and they let us down.

“We were very lateral in the first half – the second was a little more direct – but there was lots of opportunities to score tries and put things away and it just didn’t happen.

“It wasn’t acceptable. But, we, as an organisation, are moving into a direction.

“One or two years back we’d have been slaughtered by that team and probably our first team would too.

“Now we’re in a position where we see our A team – which doesn’t play each week – competing very well with these guys. We should have won the match.”

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Rotherham Titans: Hamilton; McMahon, Brierly, Godfrey, Homan; Hodgson, Rhodes; Kilbane, Bester (White 60), Hooper, Harris, Griffths, Wade, Kirwan, Dickinson (Maddison 60).

Ulster: Nelson (Andrew 76); Gaston, Whitten, Farrell, Cochrane; McKinney (Allen 47), Porter (McIlroy 47); Black, Kyriacou (Annett 67), Cronin (Carey 62), Simpson (O’Mahoney 76), Stevenson, Birch, W Faloon (McComish (N Faloon 73).

Referee: I Davies.