Rotherham 27 London Welsh 32: Pushing favourites simply not enough for Titans

Rotherham, at various stages of an excellent contest, led five times and had given themselves the best chance possible of stretching their winning sequence to four league games.

The Titans scored four superb tries by winger Curtis Wilson, centre Juan Pablo Socino, flanker Ali Birch and full-back Michael Keating as their speed, quick handling and ability to create space ruined the defence of their opponents, starting with seven players who had played for London Welsh in the Premiership last season.

Remarkably, three of Rotherham’s tries were produced in a barely credible opening to the game as they scored on two, five and 12 minutes.

London Welsh, whose powerful pack were formidable and whose front row were so strong that they forced Rotherham to concede seven penalties at the scrum, gradually fought back.

A try by the former Rotherham flanker Carl Kirwan, who was driven over from a line-out, indicated signs of a recovery and with the former Leeds Carnegie and Scotland fly-half Gordon Ross striking three penalties to punish the Titans’ scrum offences, London Welsh cut Rotherham’s lead to 20-16 at the interval.

The Welsh strength in the front row continued to wreck the Rotherham scrum. Ross’s fourth penalty on 44 minutes slashed the deficit to only one point at 20-19, but, as before, Rotherham’s opportunism and pace created a fine, fourth try which seized a bonus point.

Socino made a thrilling break which shredded the Welsh defence and with intelligent and appropriate support play available, the Argentine passed to Keating who scored in the corner.

Following Socino’s skilful conversion from the touchline, Rotherham led 27-19, and as their tackling continued to deal forcefully with any threats, victory seemed probable.

However, a series of mistakes, self-inflicted, destroyed this optimism.

Just when Rotherham needed to stay calm and put aside temporarily the policy of moving the ball quickly, their impatience took control.

Having won a penalty, arguably the sensible and cautious attitude would have been to have taken the line-out, but instead, they chose a quick tap penalty and, fatally, lost possession.

Welsh centre James Lewis intercepted a pass and launched a dangerous counter-attack which ended with his fellow centre Tom May scoring.

Ross’s conversion on 64 minutes decreased Rotherham’s lead to only 27-26, but this deteriorating position was to worsen.

Although Rotherham’s scrum held together for almost the whole of the second half, the team carried on conceding penalties.

Successful kicks in the 67th and 77th minutes by Alex Davies increased London Welsh’s authority and put them in control at 32-27.

So in the space of less than a quarter of an hour, Rotherham’s errors had cost them 13 points and the opportunity of toppling the Championship side most likely to regain their place in the Premiership.

Good recruitment, the Titans’ attacking and entertaining style plus the commitment to keeping the ball alive have produced a team capable of finishing in the top six, and may be higher, but on reflection when a team at home scores four tries, five points and not two should be the outcome.

“I am bitterly disappointed. It was a game there for the taking,” explained coach Lee Blackett. “We made a great start and if you score four tries against one of the top sides you expect to win. I was disappointed by the management of the game in the last 25 minutes when we made too many errors and conceding 32 points at home is not good enough.”

Blackett’s views were shared by forwards’ coach Ed Williamson, ex-London Welsh, who said Rotherham needed to develop into a side which was more than a match for the best in the league.

“I want us to be much better than being competitive. We played by far the better rugby than Welsh.

“We played all the rugby and they kicked their penalties.

“So I’m really disappointed we didn’t come away with four or five points. The boys were sticking to what they knew and I’m not going to get mad at them for that, but it’s hard to swallow letting in 32 points on your own patch.”

No 8 Alfie To’oala who did not play because he pulled a hamstring in the match warm-up, may be out of action for two weeks.

Rotherham Titans: Keating, Broadley, Gill (Roberts 70), Socino, Wilson, Murphy, Mulchrone (White 62), Gadd (Sowery 78),Quigley, Thomas (Maddison 58),Sanderson, Williamson (Preece 74), Birch, Pearce.

London Welsh: Jewell, Stegmann, J Lewis, May, Scott, Ross, R Lewis (Davies 56), Trevett (Hepburn 52), Titterrell (Davis 73), Edwards (Tideswell 52), Corker, Browne, Lees(Denbee 57), Kirwan, Stedman(Pienaar 45).

Referee: T Foley.