Il nuovo format prevede 20 squadre divise in cinque gironi da quattro (12 club di Greene King IPA Championship inglese, le 4 squadre “A” delle Provinces irlandesi e 4 gallesi, che verranno decise dopo i playoff tra club di Principality) che si sfideranno in gare di andata e ritorno; la fase a gironi, che si aprirà il 1 ottobre, verrà completata entro natale. I quarti di finale sono previsti in gennaio, le semifinali in marzo e la finale ad aprile.
Campione in carica è Leinster A, che ha battuto i Leeds Carnegie 44-17 nella finale giocata a Donnybrook (Dublino) il mese scorso. I Dubliners sono anche la prima squadra a vincere il trofeo per due stagioni consecutive.
Di seguito, la composizione dei gironi
Pool 1: London Scottish, Wales 2, Bristol, Connacht Eagles
Pool 2: Rotherham Titans, Leeds Carnegie, Ulster Ravens, Wales 4
Pool 3: Worcester Warriors, Nottingham, Moseley, Munster ‘A’
Pool 4: Wales 1, Cornish Pirates, Doncaster Knights, Bedford Blues
Pool 5: Leinster ‘A’, Plymouth Albion, Wales 3, Jersey
E, tratte dal sito irishrugby.ie, le date della prossima stagione
Round 1 – October 10/11/12
Pool 1
Wales 2 v London Scottish
Bristol v Connacht Eagles
Pool 2
Leeds Carnegie v Rotherham Titans
Wales 4 v Ulster Ravens
Pool 3
Nottingham v Worcester Warriors
Munster ‘A’ v Moseley
Pool 4
Cornish Pirates v Bedford Blues
Wales 1 v Doncaster Knights
Pool 5
Plymouth Albion v Leinster ‘A’
Jersey v Wales 3
Round 2 – October 17/18/19
Pool 1
London Scottish v Bristol
Connacht Eagles v Wales 2
Pool 2
Rotherham Titans v Wales 4
Ulster Ravens v Leeds Carnegie
Pool 3
Worcester Warriors v Munster ‘A’
Moseley v Nottingham
Pool 4
Bedford Blues v Wales 1
Doncaster Knights v Cornish Pirates
Pool 5
Leinster ‘A’ v Jersey
Wales 3 v Plymouth Albion
Round 3 – October 24/25/26
Pool 1
Connacht Eagles v London Scottish
Bristol v Wales 2
Pool 2
Ulster Ravens v Rotherham Titans
Leeds Carnegie v Wales 4
Pool 3
Moseley v Worcester Warriors
Nottingham v Munster ‘A’
Pool 4
Doncaster Knights v Bedford Blues
Cornish Pirates v Wales 1
Pool 5
Wales 3 v Leinster ‘A’
Plymouth Albion v Jersey
Round 4 – November 28/29/30
Pool 1
London Scottish v Connacht Eagles
Bristol v Wales 2
Pool 2
Rotherham Titans v Ulster Ravens
Wales 4 v Leeds Carnegie
Pool 3
Worcester Warriors v Moseley
Munster ‘A’ v Nottingham
Pool 4
Bedford Blues v Doncaster Knights
Wales 1 v Cornish Pirates
Pool 5
Leinster ‘A’ v Wales 3
Jersey v Plymouth Albion
Round 5 – December 5/6/7
Pool 1
Wales 2 v Connacht Eagles
Bristol v London Scottish
Pool 2
Leeds Carnegie v Ulster Ravens
Wales 3 v Rotherham Titans
Pool 3
Nottingham v Moseley
Munster ‘A’ v Worcester Warriors
Pool 4
Cornish Pirates v Doncaster Knights
Wales 1 v Bedford Blues
Pool 5
Plymouth Albion v Wales 3
Jersey v Leinster ‘A’
Round 6 – December 12/13/14
Pool 1
London Scottish v Wales 2
Connacht Eagles v Bristol
Pool 2
Rotherham Titans v Leeds Carnegie
Ulster Ravens v Wales 4
Pool 3
Worcester Warriors v Nottingham
Moseley v Munster ‘A’
Pool 4
Bedford Blues v Cornish Pirates
Doncaster Knights v Wales 1
Pool 5
Leinster ‘A’ v Plymouth Albion
Wales 3 v Jersey
Quarter-Finals: January 23/24/25
Semi-Finals: March 13/14/15
Final: April 3/4/5