Huddersfield Giants secured their place in First Utility Super League for 2017 in the most dramatic of circumstances with a 23-22 victory over Hull KR in the last round of the Qualifiers Super 8s.
A Danny Brough drop goal seven minutes from the end proved to be the difference after Rovers had fought their way back from 22-4 down at half-time to draw level.
A draw would have been enough for Rovers to stay up on points difference but they must now regroup for next Saturday’s dreaded Million Pound Game against Salford Red Devils or London Broncos.
If it is Salford, then the Red Devils’ director of rugby Tim Sheens will step aside for the game to avoid a conflict of interests as he prepares to take up a three-year contract as Rovers’ new head coach.
However it could have been so different had the game taken a different twist in an epic finish at the KC Lightstream Stadium.
Hull KR skipper Terry Campese almost snatched a draw with a 40-metre drop goal that bounced back off an upright while centre Thomas Minns had a try two minutes from the end disallowed for an obstruction in the build-up.
Hull KR interim head coach James Webster felt his relegation-threatened team only had themselves to blame.
“How you think you can win a game doing that when the other team completes at 90 per cent is madness, absolute madness.
“We spoke in the week about not pushing any passes but that’s what we did. We put ourselves in a really poor position.
“I’m really proud that we came back from it but we gave ourselves too much to do.
“We need to pick ourselves up and prepare well for Salford or London. It’s a big game, there’s no hiding from that.”
Huddersfield coach Rick Stone, who joined the club in July on a contract that runs to the end of 2018, was relieved to get the win.
“It wasn’t pretty in the second half and our management could have been better but we showed plenty of tenacity when we needed it,” he said.
“It was a tough ask to come here and win. We got away to a decent lead and with the breeze they fought back. It wasn’t textbook at the end but the result was the only thing that mattered.
“It’s been an interesting couple of weeks but I’ve really enjoyed it.
“We can start planning a bit now, which is nice. We haven’t had the luxury of being able to do that up until now. Just now, we’re going to enjoy the moment.”