Ealing Trailfinders 50 Rotherham Titans 24: Bad start proves too costly for Titans

The South Yorkshire club were 31-7 down at half-time and already out of their Championship contest.

Admittedly, they battled hard in the second period to score three tries of their own and secure a bonus points also coping with the loss of Dan Tai to a yellow card.

However, it was scant consolation after they had been torn apart by ruthless Ealing – who are in third – on their artificial pitch early on.

Furthermore, already-depleted Rotherham lost two more players to injuries with Will Goodwin and Will Thomas departing the ground in ambulances having sustained back and ankle injuries respectively.

Loosehead prop Toby Williams scored Titans’ only try in the first period but it was a rare success in a half of rugby dominated by free-flowing Ealing.

After the break, at least, the visitors’ driving maul came to prominence with them scoring all three of their tries via that tactic.

Former Leeds Carnegie and Gloucester hooker Luke Cole crossed twice – his second earning that bonus point in the final play of the game – and Dan Grange also went in across the line.

Burnell conceded: “We were poor; we dropped off tackles and by half-time the game had pretty much gone if we’re being realistic.

“At that stage we wanted to get something from the game and the lads dug deep and managed to pick up a bonus point on the road.”