Titans bid go end season on a high

The Welshman has won all three matches at Clifton Lane since taking over from Mark Jones in February and is keen to retain his 100 per cent success rate.

Burnell, busy recruiting new players for next season, is determined to finish the league season on a high with wins in the two remaining games against Scottish, one place above Rotherham, and at Ealing Trailfinders, just below the Titans.

As Burnell plans for next season, it’s clear that he’ll need at least two new props, back row players, and second row forwards to strengthen the Titans’ pack.

Which of the current Rotherham players the coach is keen to keep will soon become clearer now Titans have secured Championship rugby for next season.

Rotherham and London Scottish have identical records with eight league wins and are both safe for another season, so a high scoring game is in prospect.

Former Rotherham favourite, forward Tinus du Plessis, capped 48 times for Namibia, should return to Clifton Lane with Scottish. He was the Titans Player of the Year in 2009.

He later joined Wasps in the Premiership and was signed by London Scottish at the start of this year.

Two other potential match winners are back row forward Mark Bright, who has scored 14 tries in the Championship this season, and fly half Peter Lydon, an accurate goal kicker just short of 150 points going into Saturday’s game.

In a close contest at Richmond in December, Rotherham lost narrowly by 21-16, so Burnell is keen to gain revenge and follow his home wins against Ealing, Bedford and Nottingham with another scalp.