This is a new competition but is close in format to the Gold Cup last run in the early 1990s and the Premier League Cup of 1997 and 1998.
The competing clubs are placed in two qualification groups.
The Northern Group consists of Berwick, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hull, Newcastle, Sheffield, and Workington.
The Southern Group comprised Arena Essex, Exeter, Isle of Wight, Newport, Reading, Stoke, and Swindon.
Each group is run as a mini-league with points awarded as in the Premier League Championships, two points for a win, one for a draw, and an aggregate point for the winner over two legs.
The team and race format is the same as for the Premier League Championship.
The top two teams in each group progress to the knockout stage of the competition.
The semi-finals are decided on an aggregate
score from a two-leg home and away clash. The winning semi-finalists go
through to the final, which is decided on a similar basis.
The holders are Newport who deafeated Edinburgh on aggregate in the 1999 Final.
Knock Out Stages