COUGARS have been draw against Russian side Strela Kazan in the Powergen Challenge Cup - with the Russians due to visit Cougar Park next month.

The team was the first Russian club to enter the competition in 2003 when they lost 20-16 to Hull amateur club Embassy, but they are expected to have strengthened since then.

Last season they were fourth in the Russian league.

"They are certainly an unknown quantity but we will be taking them seriously, and giving the team a warm welcome," Gary Moorby said.

On Sunday Cougars are due to play London Skolars but the game was in doubt because of the weather. A pitch inspection is due to take place today (Friday).

"We will be taking nothing for granted. They will be looking to get a result against us and we will have to be equally determined," Moorby said.

This week he was determined the squad would put their 36-6 defeat in terrible conditions at Hull behind them.

"When we got there they were sweeping huge puddles of water off the pitch and the ref said it still went over the top of his boots in place. We had wind, hail and snow, it was appaling," Moorby said.

"The conditions were the same for both teams and I'm not going to make them an excuse, but Hull are a bigger team and handled the conditions better than we did. We are a more mobile side and I think we will really start to perform when conditions improve and the pitches become firmer."

Australian loose forward Daniel Harvey had never seen conditions like those he experienced at Craven Park.

"I have seen the snow before, but I had to go down South to the Snowy Mountains in Australia. It can also get pretty chilly during a night game in Canberra, but nothing like that," he said.

On Monday Sports Minister Richard Caborn visited Cougar Park to see the club's Community Programme in action and heaped praise on the go-ahead scheme which was one of the first in rugby league.

"You are doing a fantastic job helping to give increase levels of fitness among young people and break down barriers between the different communities in the area," he said.

The former rugby union scrum half joined pupils from Long Lee and Eastwood primary schools as they took part in a training session on the pitch followed by a game of tag rugby.

He said: "Matt Foster is inspirational, the project is excellent and the club is doing a fantastic job.

"It is linked into the sport and health initiatives the Government is investing in. We want to see sport clubs getting into the community, into secondary and primary schools and giving added value to the community.

"I was delighted to see how successful the scheme is and the level of enthusiasm."

Keighley MP Ann Cryer also pledged her support to help bring extra money into the club to develop the work of the community scheme which already provides coaching to 46 primary schools throughout the area.

n Details about Sunday's game will be on 01535-213111.