Celtic Crusaders v Lokomotiv Moscow match preview

Celtic Crusaders v Lokomotiv Moscow (Sun)

Carnegie Challenge Cup Third Round

Venue: Brewery Field, Bridgend Kick-off: 1200 GMT, Sunday 9 March

Celtic Crusaders start their Carnegie Challenge Cup campaign in the most glamorous way possible when they take on Russian Champions Lokomotiv Moscow in the tie of the round at the Brewery Field in Bridgend on Sunday (kick-off 12pm).

A clash against a Super League side is a possibility for the winners of this exciting international contest.

The Russians are invincible in their own country, having not lost a domestic league or cup match in almost three years but they have not been able to transfer this success into the Challenge Cup, having failed to win a game in the five seasons that they have been entering. The Crusaders beat them 64-4 at this stage of the competition in 2006 while last year they lost 60-20 at Swinton Lions.

The Club are part of the massive Lokomotiv Sporting Club empire that plays a number of sports, the most famous being the football team who have taken on the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United in the Champions League in recent years and are therefore the richest rugby club in Russia.

Lokomotiv have named a squad of 18 for the trip to Wales, 13 of whom played for the Russian national team in last year