Whitehaven will start their Championship programme on Sunday, February 2 at home to Swinton Lions.

With a follow-up home game against Oldham Roughyeds a fortnight later, Gary Charlton’s men have the chance to make a positive start to life back in the second tier.

In between, however, Haven face a trip to London Broncos who have just dropped down from the Super League.

A third home game in the first four fixtures sees Haven entertain Toulouse Olympique on March 1.

Head coach Charlton said: “We will just be doing what we have done this year and take one game at a time. We all know it’s going to be a tough competition but we intend to give it our best shot.”

With a home game against Batley Bulldogs on March 22, followed by a trip to Dewsbury Rams a week later, Whitehaven will have met all the sides who are being tipped to be involved in the survival battle in the first seven matches.

Easter will provide a particularly tough test as Haven visit York City Knights on Good Friday and entertain Leigh Centurions on Easter Monday.

The season is due to end on Sunday, September 6 when Whitehaven will travel to Sheffield Eagles.

The League One season starts a fortnight later and Workington Town will open on February 16 at home to London Skolars.

Their second game is also at home against Keighley Cougars a fortnight later, before they face a trip to the likely title favourites Newcastle Thunder on March 8.

Town will travel on Good Friday to Barrow for what is sure to be an eagerly-awaited derby game against the team relegated from the Championship.

The final game of the season is at Coventry Bears on Sunday, September 6 and that might be a good omen - as that’s where Whitehaven clinched the League One title this year.

FIXTURES

WHITEHAVEN RLFC

CHAMPIONSHIP

(Home games in bold caps)

February

2 SWINTON

9 London Br

16 OLDHAM

March

1 TOULOUSE

8 Widnes

22 BATLEY

29 Dewsbury

April

10 York

13 LEIGH

19 Bradford

26 SHEFFIELD

May

3 Halifax

17 FEATHERSTONE

23 Toulouse

31 Blackpool Bash - Sheffield

June

14 DEWSBURY

21 Featherstone

28 Swinton

July

5 LONDON BR

12 BRADFORD

26 Leigh

August

2 WIDNES

9 Oldham

16 Batley

23 HALIFAX

30 YORK

September

6 Sheffield

WORKINGTON TOWN

LEAGUE ONE

(Home games in bold caps)

February

16 LONDON SK

March

1 KEIGHLEY

8 Newcastle

22 ROCHDALE

29 WEST WALES

April

10 Barrow

26 Hunslet

May

3 DONCASTER

24 North Wales

31 COVENTRY

June

13 London Sk

21 BARROW

28 Doncaster

July

12 NEWCASTLE

26 Keighley

August

2 HUNSLET

8 West Wales

16 NORTH WALES

23 Rochdale

September

6 Coventry