RUGBY UNION - Coventry Rugby let 16-point lead slip in opening day defeat at newly-promoted Rotherham Titans

However, Bruce Houston crossed for Coventry’s only try in the second period as Rotherham staged a dramatic comeback to win the game with a try four minutes from time.

Coventry headed to Rotherham for the club’s opening game of the 2026/27 Champ Rugby season after Alex Rae’s side finished third in the table last season and reached the play-off semi-finals.

The visitors made a fast start and scored the game’s first try after just six minutes when Bacon created an overlap to finish out wide and Houston added the extras.

Rotherham hit back four minutes later as Ben Cambriani squeezed his way over in the corner.

Coventry scored a second try on 15 minutes when Maunder broke from the back of a ruck to dive over and Houston converted after the Titans had Ali Mgijima sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on.

The away side had Bacon sin-binned later in the first half for a collision in the air and Rotherham closed the gap to two points on 23 minutes as Jackson Barling crossed for the home side.

Rotherham responded moments into the second half as Morgan Veness crashed over before Callum Bustin barged his way over from a driving maul on 53 minutes to reduce the deficit to four points.

Rae’s side scored a fifth try on 63 minutes when Josh Barton’s quick tap sent Houston away as the latter converted his own try.

The Titans set up a grandstand finish on 71 minutes as Barling scored his second try of the game from a driving maul at a lineout.

And Rotherham completed the turnaround four minutes from time when Mitchell Lacey-Babalola gathered a chip ahead and dotted down close to the posts.

The visitors thought they had snatched the points at the death when Dan Green went over only for a forward pass in the build-up to see the try chalked off.

Coventry are next in action against Cornish Pirates on Saturday, September 26 with kick-off at 3pm at the Nick Newbold Stadium.

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