CRAIG Lingard has reminded his players that Toronto Wolfpack are 'not super heroes' as Cougars bid to spring an upset against League One's new powerhouse.

The first ever trans-Atlantic professional rugby league side head to Keighley on Sunday having won their opening two league matches and having reached the fifth round of the Challenge Cup after beating Championship club London Broncos.

While Paul Rowley's men will be without Kiwi star Fuifui Moimoi due to suspension, the newly-formed Canadian outfit still boast a raft of quality players brought in to help owner Eric Perez fulfil his dream of reaching Super League.

Other marquee signings include Wakefield winger Craig Hall, Sheffield Eagles full back Quentin Laulu-Togaga’e and Warrington pair James Laithwaite and Gary Wheeler.

Lingard rates them as a top-end Championship side but has told Cougars to focus on their own game and not the opposition.

He said: "We just need to get our own house in order and not worry about them too much because we know the sort of players they have got. It is important we don’t get over-awed by the occasion too much and we concentrate on doing what we need to do.

"If we can challenge in that first 20-25 minutes and keep it nice and tight then you never know what can happen.

"If we can get an early score or two then that would give us a real confidence boost to realise it is man against man. "They all have two arms and two legs and they are not super heroes. It is important we see the game like that."

Lingard admits there is a real sense of anticipation around Cougar Park ahead of the match which is being televised live on Premier Sports.

He is a big advocate of the new Toronto venture, believing it has given rugby league a much-needed shot in the arm.

He said: "I think it's great. In the last few years the game’s been dying a bit. They've tried to expand the sport down south but teams like Oxford and Hemel have relocated back up north in that they are training out of Dewsbury. I think that is bad for the game.

"There is a massive market in North America and if Toronto can help crack that it’s international recognition which you want to get for rugby league.

"Then they could push into other parts of North America and they are talking about another franchise in Florida. I’m all for it.

"It's also good that they are self-funded and not relying on the RFL to bankroll them. They are doing it the right way."

With League One sides only playing each other once before the Super Eights stages, Lingard is pleased to be playing Toronto at Cougar Park rather than overseas.

He said: "I'm definitely glad we are at home. It would have been a good experience to go over there but it makes it even harder with the playing roster they have got. It will be hard enough regardless of where you are playing, so if you put into the equation the travel to Canada and players being out of their comfort zone, it would definitely be harder to play them away."

Toronto, who have Bulls legend Brian Noble at the helm as director of rugby, are playing their home games in blocks and, with the help of sponsorship deals, are covering the costs for teams making the trip across the Atlantic to play them.

Lingard added: "It's not ideal for teams having to travel over as people will need Thursday and Friday off work and potentially Monday.

"If you are self-employed, and don’t get paid if you don’t work, or you are a school teacher, for example, you might not be able to go.

"Teams might have to travel over with limited squads but I think it’s a good development and why not give it a go?"

Cougars are hoping for a bumper crowd, with gates featuring the Wolfpack to date attracting extra fans, including a record 1,542 attendance at London Skolars for their first league match.