Top of the table Richmond had to wait till the final minute of an enthralling game to secure a thrilling victory over third placed Rotherham Titans. Richmond were deservedly ahead at half time, but a battling Titans side pulled right back in the second half. Denied any space, Richmond could find no way back until they scored the try of the game in the 80th minute.

The five points gained leaves Richmond six points clear in the league table, after second placed Rams lost their third game in a row, this time to fourth placed Rosslyn Park, Richmond’s opponents next Saturday. Exactly halfway through the season, Richmond remain unbeaten but there are plenty of challenges ahead.

Richmond fielded a side with a rotation at hooker and two other changes in the starting fifteen. Toby Saysell and James Langston were unavailable and replaced by Lucas Schmid and Frank McMillan. The change in the backs involved a number of positional changes with Callum Grieve moved to the centre and Alex O’Meara to full back.

Any suggestion of unfamiliar combinations seemed to be silenced by the first try after just four minutes. Two swivel passes straight from the training ground sent Chidera Obonna tearing through a defensive gap and clear to the posts. Grieve added the conversion.

Four penalties in the opening ten minutes provided Richmond with extra momentum, and the second try inevitably followed. The forwards drove from a five metre line out before man of the match Sam Pim blasted his way over close to the posts. Grieve’s conversion gave Richmond a handy 14-0 lead.

If Richmond thought that it was going to stay that easy, they were in for a shock. It was Rotherham ‘s turn for a penalty when McMillan was adjudged to have gone high when stopping opposition winger Aidan Shortall. After kicking to ten metres, the large visiting pack mauled their way forward, pulling in defenders before passing the ball out to the wide left for Shortall to score on the overlap. Lloyd Hayes, top points scorer in the league, added a good conversion.

A minute later, the Titans were awarded a free kick at a scrum and quickly moved the ball left, Shortall attempting in vain to run round McMillan. The winger was again adjudged to have tackled high and, though the decision was considered harsh by some, referee Alan Chandrachud was admirably consistent all game. In this instance McMillan was additionally given a yellow card for his two offences but was joined by Shortall after a feisty flurry of fisticuffs.

Rotherham were now within two points of the lead, but the next impetus came from Richmond. The outstanding Jake Monson and No 8 Pim were both centrally involved, drawing another penalty for a high tackle from the Titans. The forwards set up on the 22 and battered their way forward before Jones put in a neat grubber to the corner. Once again, the forwards barraged their way towards the posts before skipper Jones picked out Sam Dardis with a long pass perfectly delivered. The well worked try restored a seven point lead but Rotherham soon responded.

With Ellis Thomas and John Okafor always prominent, they harassed Richmond into unfamiliar mistakes, following a scrum penalty with a charge down and then a kick out on the full. The pugnacious Richmond defence despatched attackers backwards with juddering force but their opponents stayed patient. A chip over the defence seemed to be knocked backwards by Richmond hands but was seized upon by prop Charlie Capps. He quickly moved the ball on to centre Jamie Cooke, who touched down by the posts, the conversion taking the score to 19-19.

Richmond may well have felt shortchanged to be level after largely dominating the first half but there was still a try to come. Scrum half Jones was the man of the moment, taking full advantage of another penalty given for a high tackle. With the Rotherham defence streaming right to offer cover, Jones dummied gloriously to squirm his way over by the posts. In the final minute of the half Richmond again had a seven point lead.

Richmond did not start the second half well, knocking on as they had a good opportunity to clear. Rotherham looked a well drilled side as they retained possession and probed the home defence. After a sequence of phases, Richmond were pinged for coming in at the side, and the Titans opted to take three points from the kick in front.

Richmond had an immediate chance to strike back from a five metre line out. The backs joined the forwards in a big heave which appeared to be gaining traction till the ball squirmed out of hands. O’Meara had to work hard to prevent an embarrassing counter. Rotherham then had the momentum as Richmond were forced back into long periods of defence. Immediate danger was averted when one attack was held up but, after 60 minutes, the Titans got the vital score in the corner with prop Charlie Capps the scorer.

Richmond had less than twenty minutes to reclaim the lead and the forwards redoubled efforts to earn that crucial try. However, they were just held out in the corner and then, given another chance, fluffed the line out. Richmond were now edging the scrums whilst Monson was spoiling opposition ball in the line out. But the Rotherham defensive wall was supreme, and they relentlessly followed up their kicks to deny Richmond any real opportunity to counter.

With around three minutes left, Richmond got a helping hand as opposition scrum half JB Bruzulier was given a yellow card, for what looked like illegal use of the boot. Richmond worked their way forward, and Rotherham conceded another penalty for a high tackle. Richmond had one last chance.

With the crowd baying, the forwards worked their way up the left touchline, using a sequence of overhead passes to avoid being pushed into touch. Monson was involved as the defiant Yorkshire defence finally ran out of bodies. It was left to Sam Dardis to throw the try scoring pass to the marauding Obonna. The winger duly ran in from fifteen metres for his seventh try of the season, with the crowd on their feet and jigging with delight. This team really do not know when they are beaten.

Head of rugby Rob Powell commented ‘Rotherham are a very good side and well-coached. They pushed us hard. With no disrespect to the opposition, we weren’t at our best, but we have a very tight group who don’t give up and unsurprisingly they keep on winning the tight ones. But we will have to raise our game next week.’.

Tries: Obonna (2), Pim, Dardis, Jones

Conversions: Grieve (3)

Team: O’Meara, McMillan, Dardis, Grieve, Obonna, Dennett, Jones, Bevacqua, Goffey, Lichfield, Monson, Nugent, Benson, Schmid, Pim,

Replacements: Torpey, Spring, Wills, Wakeling, Butler