Whitehaven will be playing Championship rugby again next season – but only just.
There were some anxious moments, however, before it was confirmed that Keighley Cougars will be going down with Newcastle Thunder.
After Whitehaven’s effort to restrict Toulouse Olympique to a 10-point winning margin at the LEL Arena on Saturday, it was all down to what Swinton and Keighley did 24 hours later.
It was very tight on points differential with Whitehaven just slightly worse than their two rivals.
At half-time Haven were going down – with Swinton winning 18-4 at Halifax and Keighley 10-0 ahead at London Broncos.
Swinton went on to win 22-12, a magnificent effort by the Lions which made them safe.
It then all depended on how Keighley got on at London as their lead was lost before they fought back.
With just ten minutes left they were only 20-16 in arrears – and edging Haven on points differential.
But then after 72 minutes Iliess Macani scored an unconverted try for the Broncos to pull them eight points clear.
It finished 24-16 and that result was enough to send down the Cougars and keep Whitehaven in the second tier.
Drinks all round for Mr Macani next season when he visits the LEL Arena!
In the end it was just three points the difference – level on 16 points but Whitehaven were minus 328 compared to Keighley’s minus 331.
“It was too close for comfort,” admitted Haven’s chief executive Barry Morgan. “All the directors were following the games by whatever means possible and at half-time it wasn’t looking good.
“It got a bit nerve racking towards the end. We knew Swinton looked like winning so it depended on how Keighley did in London and thankfully the Broncos scored with eight minutes left.
“It would have been a real slap for us if we’d gone down because we have tried everything in a difficult season to make sure we stayed up.
“I have only been in the role for five months but I would have considered it a failure if we had lost out and gone down.”
