CASTLEFORD are in Spain for a warm-weather camp which will culminate in a match against a local side.
The team was due to set off yesterday (Sunday) for a week-long stay in Valencia.
It includes a match this Saturday against Valencia Huracanes, the details of which were only finally announced last week.
The game will take place at Tavernes Rugby Club in the town of Tavernes de la Valldigna, approximately 30 miles south of Valencia, and kick-off at 3pm local time.
Castleford supporters who bought fan experience tickets will be picked up by coach from central Benidorm and have been promised an exclusive fan forum, a fan zone and a post-match party.
The week as a whole will see preparations ramp up for Danny McGuire’s first season as head coach, and the change in weather will be welcome after a planned pre-season clash with Sheffield last Friday was postponed because of the freezing conditions.
In Spain, they will play a club that previously hosted Featherstone, losing a pre-season game 102-14 in 2020 in what was supposed to be a precursor to a bid for a League One place.
Those plans, and Valencia Chairman Dean Buchan’s dreams of a Euro XIII or Franchise Rugby competition between European cities, never get off the ground.
But a team of domestic players will reform for the game and the start of what Castleford have described as a two-year agreement between the respective clubs.
When the Tigers return to England they have two further pre-season matches, away at Wakefield on Friday, January 24 (for Luke Gale’s testimonial) and at home to Hull FC on Saturday, February 1 (a testimonial for current Castleford forward Joe Westerman).