Paul March will begin his reign as Cougars player-coach with a trip to Batley in the opening game of the new-look 14-team Championship.

March has been appointed as successor to Jason Demetriou and his men will face the Bulldogs on their infamous sloping pitch on Sunday, February 3.

That is followed by the first home game of the season against Whitehaven on February 10, before the first big derby of the season against Halifax at The Shay the following Sunday.

The Cougars face Karl Harrison’s Halifax in their final home game on Thursday, August 22 before ending their campaign with a trip to Barrow on Sunday, September 1.

A newly-structured Northern Rail Cup will see the eight Championship One clubs compete in two groups of four, with the top team in each section then progressing to join all 14 Championship clubs in the knock-out rounds when the competition intensifies in May.

COUGARS 2013 FIXTURES

FEBRUARY

Sun 3 Batley Bulldogs (2pm) Away

Sun 10 Whitehaven (3pm) HOME

Sun 17 Halifax (3.00pm) Away

Sun 24 Swinton Lions (3pm) HOME

MARCH

Sun 3 Leigh Centurions (3pm) HOME

Thur 7 Featherstone Rovers (7.30pm Premier Sports) Away

Sun 17 York City Knights (3pm) HOME

Sun 24 Dewsbury Rams (3pm) Away

Fri 29 Barrow Raiders (3pm) HOME

APRIL

Mon 1 Hunslet Hawks (2pm) Away

Sun 14 Workington Town (3pm) Away

Sun 28 Sheffield Eagles (3pm) HOME

MAY

Sun 5 Doncaster (3pm) Away

Sun 26 Leigh Centurions (3pm) Away

Thur 30 Workington Town (7.30pm Premier Sports) HOME

JUNE

Sun 9 York City Knights (3pm) Away

Sun 23 Doncaster (3pm) HOME

JULY

Sun 7 Hunslet Hawks (3pm) HOME

Sun 14 Swinton Lions (3pm) Away

Sun 21 Dewsbury Rams (3pm) HOME

Fri 26 Sheffield Eagles (7.30pm) Away

AUGUST

Sun 4 Batley Bulldogs (3pm) HOME

Sun 11 Whitehaven (3pm) Away

Sun 18 Featherstone Rovers (3pm) HOME

Thur 22 Halifax (7.30pm) HOME

SEPTEMBER

Sun 1 Barrow Raiders (3pm) Away