Round 1
Will be contested by sixty amateur teams. They will include all clubs in the National Conference, plus other top amateur teams from all over the country.

Round 2
The thirty victorious clubs from Round 1, will play against each other, thus giving fifteen ties.

Round 3
The nineteen professional clubs from the Northern Ford Premiership enter the competition, along with two clubs from France.  They will join the fifteen winners from Round 2, to give eighteen ties.  In a change to previous seasons, the amateur and French clubs will have the chance of a home draw against professional opposition.  The draw will be seeded so that Premiership clubs play against amateur/French opposition, but then a third ball will be drawn, to decide which team has home advantage.

Round 4
The twelve Super League clubs enter the competition, plus two further clubs from France and they join the eighteen winners from Round 3, making for sixteen ties.

Round 5, onwards
The competition proceeds on a straight knock-out basis. The semi-finals will be played at neutral venues and the Final Tie will take place at Murrayfield, Edinburgh.