CRAIG Lingard will begin his reign as Cougars head coach with a League One opener at home to North Wales Crusaders.

The former Batley assistant boss was appointed as Paul March's successor at the end of last season following Keighley's failure to win promotion.

Lingard will aim to guide his new-look side to victory against Crusaders on Sunday, March 5 before they travel to the University of Gloucestershire All Golds seven days later.

Intriguingly, their third game of the season is at home to the newly-formed Toronto Wolfpack on Sunday, March 26.

The Canadian outfit will be full-time and are being strongly tipped to win an immediate promotion to the Championship.

Toronto will not compete in the League One Cup but will enter the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup in the third round along with the other 15 League One clubs.

The League One Cup, won by Cougars in 2016, will reach its climax as the curtain raiser to the Summer Bash.

There is a bye week in 2017 for League One clubs because York City Knights are not currently included in the fixture list.

The RFL is currently liaising with the club over its ownership structure and, subject to resolution, the governing body hopes to be in a position to confirm their participation in League One in the next few weeks.

Regardless of the outcome of these discussions, it is the RFL's current intention that League One will be a 16-team competition in 2017.

KEIGHLEY COUGARS 2017 FIXTURES

MARCH

Sun 5 NORTH WALES CRUSADERS H

Sun 12 University of Gloucestershire All Golds A

Sun 26 TORONTO WOLFPACK H

APRIL

Sun 9 Hemel Stags A

Fri 14 HUNSLET H

MAY

Sun 7 Coventry Bears A

Sun 14 BARROW RAIDERS H

Sun 21 Doncaster A

JUNE

Sun 4 SOUTH WALES IRONMEN H

Sun 11 Newcastle Thunder A

Sun 18 LONDON SKOLARS H

JULY

Sun 2 Whitehaven A

Sun 9 Workington Town A

Sun 16 OXFORD H