The Bulls' ground-breaking trip to Dubai is in doubt over security fears in the Middle East.

Coach Brian Noble and four high-profile players were due to fly out on March 16 to promote the club and the sport in the region, but a decision on whether the desert adventure will now take place has been put on hold until the situation in that part of the world becomes clearer.

The Bulls were due to take part in an education conference, along with the University of Bradford, as part of a trip that would include coaching rugby league in schools.

It is understood that all parties attending the event at the Jumeriah Beach Hotel in Dubai, are reviewing the security situation in that part of the world before committing to the event.

But the country is still geographically some distance from Iraq, and Bolton Wanderers and a number of other football clubs have been out to Dubai in recent months.

Tennis star Tim Henman is currently playing in a tournament there and only last month a European PGA Tour golf event took place in the country.

The Bulls are obviously insistent that they would not allow their party, which includes chairman Chris Caisley, Noble and four players, including skipper Robbie Paul, to be placed at any risk.

But the club are confident that, whether the trip goes ahead or not, that plans are still underway to stage a rugby league game in the country.

"Whatever happens we are still looking at the possibility of playing a match out there in the near future," said Abi Ekoku, head of stadium operations at the Bulls and the main man behind the trip out to Dubai.

"We are looking into the possibility of staging either a Super League game there or maybe some kind of challenge match against an Australian side. It is something we are very keen on.

"Dubai is a very event-based venue and has the perfect facilities for hosting major sporting events.

"They are very keen on hosting a rugby league game out there and we want to be at the forefront of anything that happens there.

"It is an excellent commercial venture for the Bulls brand and it would be good for the sport to be opened up to a whole new region."

The conference takes place on the weekend of the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup but the Bulls have already sought permission from the RFL so that, if they can overcome Hunslet this Sunday, they would be allowed to play their game on Saturday, March 15.

Noble, the players and the chairman would then fly out on the Sunday and stay until the Wednesday, with their next match against Halifax at Odsal the following Sunday.