Rotherham Titans 15 Bedford Blues 58: Flanker’s bad break adds to troubles for Titans

As if this heavy defeat was not bad enough, Rotherham will compete in their next five games against Doncaster, Cornish Pirates and Bedford, again, without one of their main strengths in the pack, flanker Sam Dickinson, who broke his arm after only seven minutes.

Thankfully, from the Titans’ point of view, prop Rob O’Donnell, who has recently returned from a serious injury and was replaced in the second half following a blow to his ribs, is not badly hurt.

O’Donnell, like Dickinson is a major figure in the Rotherham forwards, was taken off as a precaution and should be available for the club’s next game in the Championship’s play-offs at Doncaster on Saturday.

If Rotherham are to make any impact in what will be the third South Yorkshire derby this season in the Championship, a massive transformation in form needs to occur because on the evidence of their performance against Bedford, the Titans are far short of being competitive.

Given their strong record at Clifton Lane in the league, two defeats only before Bedford’s convincing win, Rotherham’s collapse, particularly in the second half, was totally unexpected.

It may be that the squad has been and is unsettled by the contract dispute between coach Andre Bester and Joe Bedford which has resulted in the scrum-half and former captain deciding to leave the club at the end of the season.

Nevertheless, Rotherham were leading 15-12 early in the second half, having scored two fine tries by fly-half Juan Pablo Socino and Matt Rhodes, who has taken over Bedford’s roles.

However, once the visitors’ goal-kicker, James Pritchard, had put over his second penalty to draw level at 15-15 on 48 minutes, the decline set in and rapidly accelerated, alarmingly so.

All season, Rotherham have been vulnerable to sides which keep the ball alive and, as a matter of conviction, spread it wide.

Bedford’s enterprise created mayhem for 30 minutes. They were assisted by Rotherham’s weak defence but considering their all-round strength, it can be seen why they are favourites to contest the Championship final against the most powerful side in the league, Worcester Warriors, assuming the former Premiership club maintain their current progress.

As Bester prepares his squad for the game against Doncaster at Castle Park, he must be wondering why Rotherham have suddenly declined from being competitive into a side which was incapable of containing Bedford’s onslaught.

Tries were leaked far too frequently: Bedford scored on 53, 69, 70, 75, 79 and 82 minutes as Rotherham crumbled too easily. Two of Bedford’s second-half tries were scored by winger Handre Schmidt, who has touched down more than 20 times in all competitions this season.

The South African, a research scientist at Cambridge University, is a substantial figure in Bedford’s armoury, an exemplary match-winner and the standard of player that Rotherham need to recruit if they are to achieve their long-term ambitions.

Amidst the debris, Rotherham were encouraged by the display of flanker Sean Dougall who, along with Cliff Hodgson, Rhodes, Ben Harris, O’Donnell and Dan Baines, has accepted a new contract for next season.

It remains to be seen whether influential forwards such as Dickinson and Ryan Burrows, will agree terms and continue playing for Rotherham.

After suffering a pounding of this scale, Rotherham’s players were somewhat dazed and dumbfounded, and, as forward Louis McGowan explained, the team’s priority was clear:

“We have to pull together and use this game as a learning curve. We have to bounce back in the next two away games against Doncaster and Cornish Pirates.

“I’m pretty confident we can do that. It’s been a benefit to have had a break for three weeks. The lads feel fresh, but against Bedford we had lads playing in new positions and we had a young front row.

“Bedford are a good attacking side, but we let ourselves down and we threw the ball around too easily and too loosely.”

The margin and the comfort of Bedford’s win shocked their coach, Mike Rayer: “We knew they hadn’t played for three weeks, so we felt Rotherham would be rusty.

“But it was a surprise to score more than 50 points here because not many sides do that. We pushed up the tempo and scored some lovely tries.”

Rotherham Titans: Hodgson, Swatkins, Hepworth, Godfrey (Hunt 54), Hampsey, Socino, Rhodes (Bedford 66), Harris, Baines, O’Donnell (George 42), McGowan (Loney 58), Smidt (Kilbane 63), Dickinson (Kettle 7), Dougall, Burrows.

Bedford Blues: Pritchard (Thrower 72), Schmidt, Bedford (Sharp 72), Vass, Dodge, Dorrian, Chudley (Veenendaal 45), Ovens (Boot 45), Richmond (Clark 68), Seal, Howard, Rae, Gillanders, Lewitt, Tupai (Goodman 56).

Referee: L Apgeraint-Roberts.