Rotherham Titans 24 Munster 35: Loan stars impress for Titans

As Rotherham look ahead to their biggest home match of the Championship season, the Boxing Day clash with South Yorkshire rivals Doncaster Knights, they'll be hoping that the new, on-loan players from Aviva Premiership clubs will be available.

The six recruits, who made a good impression during the defeat by a strong Munster team in the British and Irish Cup at Clifton Lane, are: forwards Santi Socino(Newcastle Falcons),Lewis Ludlam(Northampton Saints) and Wilhelm van der Sluys from Worcester Warriors, and backs Juan-Pablo Estelles(Northampton), Oli Bryant(Leicester Tigers) and Tom Collins also from Northampton.

Two of Rotherham’s three tries, as they lost by five tries to three during an entertaining match, were scored by the new signings: hooker Socino and his fellow Argentinean, centre Estelles, whose last competitive game was against England in the recent autumn Test.

Estelles quickly showed his international class as he shot through Munster’s defence on 21 minutes, sending would-be tacklers one way and then, in a flash, changing direction to touch down.