Rotherham Titans, now preparing for the derby at Doncaster Knights on Sunday, have clear priorities in 2015: the first is to return to winning form after consecutive defeats at home and the second is to ensure a place in the promotion play-offs.
Considering that Knights, who have dropped to second from bottom, are now fighting for their survival, a victory for Rotherham will be hard to achieve.
The derby, though, is an excellent opportunity for Titans to remind the Sky TV audience (12.45) that despite recent defeats by Yorkshire Carnegie and Moseley, they are a side to be feared.
The needless loss to Moseley at Clifton Lane put added pressure on Rotherham, who have fallen to fifth place in the Championship; they are now four points behind Nottingham in fourth position. So Titans, if they are to regain the momentum necessary for a promotion challenge, must win at Doncaster and then in the two following league games at Clifton Lane against Nottingham and Bedford.
Coach Lee Blackett was shocked and angry after the home defeat on Boxing Day when Rotherham failed to sell themselves in front of a crowd of 2,500.
Blackett was particularly concerned that ill-discipline-a red card and three yellow cards-broke out again in his team and he will urging there is no repeat of this reckless behaviour at Castle Park.
He will also be demanding a big reduction in the penalty count and a return to penetrating, attacking play that was so effective last season, but has not been so threatening in the nine Championship games played to date.