Artemyev looking forward to Challenge Cup

Krasny Yar captain Vasily Artemyev is relishing the chance to captain his side in the European Rugby Challenge Cup next season.

It will be the first time they take part in the competition. Fellow Russian side Enisei-STM are also involved and are the more experienced of the two sides having participated twice before.

The two sides clashed in last Saturday's European Continental Shield final in Edinburgh, which Enisei won. Despite having lost the game, Krasny Yar captain Artemyev is over the moon to have qualified through participation in the Continental Shield final.

"You can see the level of Russian rugby is improving year on year and our two clubs are a reflection of that," Artemyev told EPC Rugby.

"We are getting to the same level of Enisei slowly, even though the result did not go our way today.

"The competition in our squad means we will only improve from this. Everybody is working very hard in training and if you are not doing that then you will not get in our team. That will benefit us in the long run."

Artemyev is well known in European rugby circles having plied his trade with European Cup winners Northampton between 2011 and 2013.

The wing scored 33 points in 45 games for the Saints, including a hat-trick of tries against Saracens on his club debut in the LV= Cup.

Artemyev, who has has won 44 caps for Russia while scoring 75 points, admits his side were not good enough in possession in the loss to Enisei.

He said: "The biggest problem for us was that we did not keep hold of the ball. We did not do ourselves any favours and we could not stay in the game as a result.

"We made too many unforced errors and gave the ball back to Enisei who benefited. We made it too comfortable for them.

"I think our lack of European experience counted against us. They have played in this competition before and I think that showed, but I'm still proud of the level of performance we showed."