The second-placed Titans’ quality was made evident throughout the clash and, despite initially falling behind after Elliot Fisher’s try and conversion early on, the former Premiership club are now 13 points clear of the third-placed visitors.

Poole – who watched from the sidelines due to a hamstring injury – had no doubts his team would emerge triumphant.

He told The Yorkshire Post: “After that performance, we just feel satisfaction. I always backed the boys, and I knew they’d do a job today.

Callum Bustin, right, crosses under pressure from a Sheffield player as Rotherham Titans ran in five tries in the South Yorkshire derby (Kerrie Beddows/Rotherham Advertiser)

“Sheffield had a good defensive line, and I think we worked well around that. I don’t think it was a complete performance, but it was a strong one. They threw the first punch, but we threw the five after that.”

Disappointment was the word in the other dugout, as Sheffield head coach Anthony Posa expressed frustration with the small but decisive on-field errors his team made.

Posa said: “I’m disappointed as I want us to show the best version of ourselves. When you’re playing a team with the quality of Rotherham, the piggybacks they got sooner or later they’re going to score.

“I can’t fault the effort of my guys, but we need to be better.”

Ryan Burrows (with ball) scored a try for Sheffield on his return to Rotherham Titans (Picture: Kerrie Beddows/Rotherham Advertiser)

Sheffield’s season has nevertheless been a remarkable one up to this result – including a memorable first double over arch rivals Sheffield Tigers and the attainment of January’s Team of the Month Award from England Rugby.

Holding such a positive perspective remains important to Posa, who added: “We’ve had an amazing season. What I’ve just said to our boys is that, as long as we keep learning then I can handle a loss.

“It’s brilliant for the club to be third in the league and we were beaten by a better team today.”

On paper, this was the day Sheffield’s magnificent ten-match winning run would conclude.

Such a script was, however, about to be torn up when scrum-half Fisher broke free and crossed for his 17th try of the season before securing the extras.

Rotherham had made a tetchy start and, with Clifton Lane’s ‘Shed’ becoming restless, looked to be in trouble until smart play saw Callum Bustin slip by the visitors’ back line to score with Lloyd Hayes converting. Hayes went one better with a penalty kick from the left, allowing the Titans to take a 10-7 lead.

The advantage grew when a neatly composed lineout maul on the left resulted in back-rower Harry Newborn touching down.

Despite Hayes missing the subsequent conversion, the trick was repeated when former Harlequins man John Okafor collected the ball and provided JB Bruzulier with a straightforward cross as Hayes this time took the extras. Ill-discipline then led to Sheffield finishing the half with 14 men after captain Dom Parsons was sin binned.

Rotherham’s dominance continued following the break as Tomasi Tanumi slipped through on the right to attain the try-bonus point with the score at 27-7.

But Gareth Lewis’s side were themselves punished via the sin bin when Gareth Denman was yellow carded moments later before Newborn secured a brace to leave the score at a decisive 32-7.

Former Titans player Ryan Burrows darted over for a consolation try for Sheffield.

Title-chasing Rotherham Titans bring end to Sheffield RUFC's 10-match winning run