Keighley Cougars will face non-English opposition when French team Toulouse travel to Cougar Park on Sunday for a Carnegie Challenge Cup tie which kicks off at 3pm.

Toulouse Olympique play in the French Elite Championship, which is similar to the National League. They became the first French team to reach a Challenge Cup semi-final, a feat they accomplished in 2006.

At the completion of the 2006 regular season Toulouse finished on top of their league and subsequently hosted the equivalent of the Grand Final, which they lost to Pia XIII, who were crowned champions.

Toulouse have high aspirations and Cougars' head coach Barry Eaton said they are likely to be apply for a Super League franchise, with the hope of becoming the second French team, along with the Catalans Dragons, to join the elite British league.

Although Toulouse are applying for a franchise, Eaton believes that there should not be a second French team in Super League.

"There are a lot of great teams playing in the National League. Adding a second French team would be a detriment to them," said Eaton, who added: "They should not be able to enter at the expense of a home grown team. The league should keep to its roots."

Eaton said if Toulouse played in England they could likely compete in the middle reaches of the National League One. With little information about the French side's style of play, Eaton said: "It gives us an opportunity to get our game in order."

He said the Cougars' defence and attacking qualities in their opponents' half have been good but he emphsised: "We need to work on ball in our own half. Far too often we're making unforced errors in our own half."

Andy Shickell will be back in the Cougars' starting line-up after serving a one-game suspension but Danny Jones, Jon Presley and Jermaine Wray all have knocks and could miss out.

Cougars' general manager Helen Carter said: "We are really looking forward to this weekend, we have had only a week to prepare but are hoping to put on a really great family day for everyone. All children under 16 can come to the game for just £1 to hopefully fill Cougar Park and give our French colleagues a real Yorkshire welcome."