TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE will start life back in the Championship with a trip to Barrow Raiders.
The meeting at the Matt Johnson Prestige Stadium (Craven Park) on Saturday, February 4 (3pm) will be the first competitive clash of the 2023 league season.
Super League starts when Warrington Wolves host Leeds Rhinos on Thursday, February 16 in front of the Sky Sports cameras.
Meanwhile League One begins on the weekend of February 18/19, with relegated Workington Town, now coached by Anthony Murray, facing a long trip to London Skolars and Dewsbury Rams heading to North Wales Crusaders.
While Toulouse dropped out of Super League after one season, coach Sylvain Houles has agreed to remain in post and lead the bid for a return to the top flight.
Barrow, under long-serving Paul Crarey, came up from League One in 2021 and impressed by making the Championship play-offs this year.
There will be five second-tier matches on Sunday, February 5, while in the first Monday-night live-televised Championship game on February 6, promoted Keighley Cougars will host Featherstone Rovers, who now have Sean Long at helm.
Viaplay (formerly Premier) Sports are going into the second half of a two-year agreement and have confirmed a first set of twelve live games, with each of the 14 Championship clubs shown appearing at least once.
League One clubs will enter the Challenge Cup at the second-round stage on the weekend of February 25/26, with Cornwall involved for the first time.
The 13 English Championship clubs will enter in round three, to be played between March 9-12.
Viaplay Sports will show two ties from the sixth round on the weekend of May 20/21.
While the final is confirmed for Wembley on Saturday, August 12, full Challenge Cup details, including the date of the first-round draw, will be released by the RFL after the World Cup.
Viaplay Sports Championship schedule (kick-off 7.45pm unless otherwise stated):
Monday, February 6: Keighley Cougars v Featherstone Rovers.
Monday, February 11: York City Knights v Bradford Bulls.
Monday, February 27: Widnes Vikings v Halifax Panthers.
Monday, March 6: Featherstone Rovers v Bradford Bulls.
Monday, March 20: Batley Bulldogs v Barrow Raiders.
Easter Monday, April 10: Halifax Panthers v Bradford Bulls (kick-off TBC).
Monday, April 17: Sheffield Eagles v Swinton Lions.
Bank Holiday Monday, May 8: Batley Bulldogs v Widnes Vikings.
Saturday, May 27/Sunday, May 28: Summer Bash, Toulouse Olympique v London Broncos and Featherstone Rovers v York Knights (details to be confirmed this week).
Friday, June 2: Newcastle Thunder v Bradford Bulls.
Monday, August 21: Whitehaven v Barrow Raiders.
Full fixture lists for the Championship and League One are available in this week’s edition of League Express.
