LEIGH Centurions will make club history next spring when they play their first-ever competitive match on French soil.

In the new Co-operative Championship, Neil Kelly’s side will travel to France to take on newcomers Toulouse Olympique on Saturday, April 18 for a round six fixture.

The French will make the return trip to Leigh Sports Village on Saturday, August 15 for a 6pm kick off.

Leigh’s season begins with fixtures in the revamped Northern Rail Cup competition with Co-operative Championship One side, London Skolars, having the honour of playing the first competitive game at the Centurions’ state-of-the-art stadium on February 15. The league campaign kicks off with a trip to Sheffield Eagles on March 15.

Leigh start the season with a trip to Featherstone in the Northern Rail Cup, which has a new format, on February 8.

Moving away from the usual groups of four, the English-based Co-operative Championship and Co-operative Championship One clubs have been split into two pools.

Although 10 club – five from the Championship and five from Championship One – are included in each pool, the competing sides will only play four pool matches.

Each team will play two home games and two away games against teams in their pool.

At the end of the group stage, the top four teams in each pool will advance to the quarter-finals.

FEBRUARY 8 Featherstone Rovers (Northern Rail) A 15 London Skolars (Northern Rail) H 22 Swinton Lions (Northern Rail) A MARCH 1 Whitehaven (Northern Rail) H 8 Challenge Cup round three 15 Sheffield Eagles (Championship) A 22 Batley Bulldogs H 29 Doncaster A APRIL 5 Challenge Cup Round Four 10 Widnes Vikings A 13 Barrow Raiders H 18 Toulouse Olympique A 26 Featherstone Rovers H MAY 4 Batley Bulldogs A 10 Halifax H 17 Widnes Vikings H 31 Featherstone Rovers A JUNE 6-7 Northern Rail Cup quarter-finals 14 Gateshead Thunder H 20-21 Northern Rail Cup semi-finals 28 Whitehaven A JULY 3 Halifax A 12 Northern Rail Cup final 19 Sheffield Eagles H 25 Barrow Raiders A AUGUST 2 Doncaster H 15 Toulouse Olympique H 23 Gateshead Thunder A SEPTEMBER 6 Whitehaven H