Rotherham Titans 33 London Scottish 26: Blackett set to step up as Codling signs off in fine style

The Clifton Lane club have a clutch of names in the frame although former Leeds Carnegie star Lee Blackett will possibly step from the Titans playing ranks to take over at the helm.

And he’ll have learned a lot from Codling, now back home in Kent and getting ready to join Rosslyn Park.

The former England international wrapped up his all-too-brief reign at the South Yorkshire club in style. He wanted three home wins to finish the campaign off and got it as Titans eased to a bonus-point victory against a feisty Scottish side.

And Codling was rightly proud of his side’s effort to finish seventh in what has been a turbulent season off the field.

“I couldn’t have asked for any more from them,” he said. “I’m so proud of the way they have responded to what I asked and to see off a side like Scottish wrapped up the season perfectly.

“Half of me is elated to finish the season like that and the other half of me leaves with sadness, but that’s the way it is.

“The lads have never let me down apart from a few minor blips and I couldn’t be happier for them.”

Rotherham raced into a 13-0 lead against Scottish, thanks to a bulldozing Laurence Pearce try and a conversion and two penalties from James McKinney.

But Scottish did hit back with tries from Miles Mantella, squeezing over in the corner, and an excellent James Thompson finish after the ball was bulleted along the line.

That made it 13-10 at the break and Scottish were expected to kick on afterwards, especially when James Love levelled with a penalty after the restart.

Titans dug in and a terrific converted Curtis Wilson try, scything through from 40 metres, put his side back in front.

The killer score came after Love pulled another penalty back, Scottish squandering a line-out and Charlie Mulchrone snaffling the ball to sprint clear and make it 25-16.

Love and McKinney exchanged penalties before Toby Freeman made the game safe with a bullocking 30-metre run, with Gerard Ellis’s added-time score proving academic.

Rotherham Titans: Styles; Doneghan, Gill, Blackett (Nonu 40), Wilson; J McKinney, Mulchrone (Williams 67); Kilbane (Gadd 70), Stagg, Davies (Denman 58), Thomas (Patrick 45), Sanderson, Rieder, Kirwan, Pearce (Freeman 57). Unused replacement: Thompson.

London Scottish: Thompson; Love, Grove, Gidlow (Bolt 57), Mantella (Howells 54); Godman, Stevenson; Mahew, Allen, Friy (Quigley 75), Hotson, Twomey, Russell, Spinks 6 (Calder 62), Bright.

Referee: L Apgeraint Roberts (RFU).