Blackpool Panthers are preparing for a French invasion for the second year in succession after drawing Toulouse in the Powergen Challenge Cup.

The game has been pencilled in for Sunday, March 12, and marks a return to Bloomfield Road for Toulouse, who beat the Panthers on their way to a shock semi-final place in last year's competition.

The Panthers went down 42-10 at Swinton Lions in the Northern Rail Cup on Sunday, leaving them with the steepest of uphill struggles to get anywhere near qualifying for the second round. An away game at former Superleague outfit Widnes Vikings is next up on Sunday.