Rotherham v Yorkshire Carnegie: Beck will miss Titans derby next season

Few Yorkshire Carnegie players have experienced more derbies with Rotherham Titans than Richard Beck so it is understandable why the experienced back-row will miss the local rivalry more than most next season.
Richard Beck.Richard Beck.
Richard Beck.

With Rotherham long since doomed for National One after a wretched 2017-18 that has yielded just one solitary Championship win, today’s contest at Clifton Lane could conceivably be the last meeting between the sides for some considerable time.

Beck, for one, will be sad to see the fixture die a death given how much enjoyment it has brought him over the years.

“It is a shame they’re going down,” he said.

Richard Beck.Richard Beck.
Richard Beck.
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“I will definitely miss these games. It’s always a good match every year and both sides always raise their standards a bit for each other.

“It will be the end of the Yorkshire Regiment Trophy (the silverware contested between Carnegie, Rotherham and Doncaster Knights over their league games) as well.

“I’m not sure I can remember my first derby with Rotherham but I’ll never forget that 6-0 scoreline on a wet, Friday night at Headingley.

“That was a classic! They are always tough games, though.”

Richard Beck.Richard Beck.
Richard Beck.

Leeds-born Beck made his debut for Carnegie in 2009 and has racked up 125 games with the club.

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Although down in seventh spot, they retain hopes of a final flourish having a game in hand over their rivals.

After today’s game, they host second-placed Ealing Trailfinders in a rearranged game on Tuesday night and then round off their campaign at home to London Scottish on Saturday April 28.

Carnegie are just seven points behind Bedford who also have three games to play.

Beck, 28, insisted: “We want to finish in the top three.

“That’s our goal. We’ve three games left to do that.

“We know Rotherham will be up for this and we’re expecting them to be better than anything we;ve seen of them on video.

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“They’ve had a turn in form without getting the actual results and I’m sure they’ll be up for this one at their place in their final home game.

“We’re concentrating on getting off to a good start and killing some of that emotion that will be around their place on Saturday.”