Two more plays ande a sevens coach for Rotherham Titans

Coach Justin Burnell is expected to add to the power of his pack by bringing in another second row forward with league and representative experience, and increasing the pace of the Titans’ three quarters by recruiting a full back.

Burnell has brought in more than 20 new players with details to be announced in the next few days.

And in another major step forward, Rotherham, or Titans Rugby as the Championship club have renamed themselves prior to the start of the 2016-17 season, are working hard to recruit a specialist sevens coach who will also work closely with Burnell and encourage the skills of players who have the potential to appear in the Championship side.

“We regard the setting-up of a sevens squad as an important part of the club’s future,” said Richard Lamb, Titans Rugby’s new chief executive.

“I’ve applied to put a Rotherham team into the big Sevens tournament in Dubai in December and then we aim to play at Singapore and Hong Kong in February and March next year.

“Establishing a sevens squad is part of the plan not only to develop younger players, but also to attract a younger audience to games at Rotherham. Sevens rugby is a bit like cricket’s T20.

“I think the Titans should also enter a team into 10-a-side competitions. This weekend we’ll be taking part in the Chester Sevens and at the end of August in the tournament at Harpenden.

“It will take the new coach 12-18 months to put into effect our plans for sevens which are a great opportunity for our younger players to have lots of fun playing rugby.”

The Titans are now in their second week of pre-season training at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield and at Sheffield Hallam’s facilities on Bawtry Road.