THE Arriva Trains Cup, which is solely for the 20 National League One and Two clubs, has also seen its format altered slightly from last year.

This year there will be five groups of four as opposed to four groups of five, with each team again playing each other team in their section home and away, plus one team from another section home and away.

The top club from each group will progress to the knockout quarter-final stage together with three more clubs who will win through via play-off matches featuring the five runners-up plus the best third-placed club. These play-off ties and all the knockout rounds will be decided by a free draw.

The season for National League clubs begins with the group stage of the Arriva Trains Cup, starting tomorrow, with the knockout rounds then being interspersed with league matches. The league season begins on Easter Monday, April 12.

East section: Doncaster Rovers, Hull Kingston Rovers, London Skolars, Sheffield Eagles.

North section: Barrow Raiders, Gateshead Thunder, Whitehaven, Workington Town.

Pennine Section: Halifax, Hunslet Hawks, Keighley Cougars, Rochdale Hornets.

West Section: Chorley Lynx, Leigh Centurions, Oldham Roughyeds, Swinton Lions.

Yorkshire section: Batley Bulldogs, Dewsbury Rams, Featherstone Rovers, York City Knights.

Cross-section games: Gateshead Thunder v York City Knights; Batley Bulldogs v Doncaster Dragons; Dewsbury Rams v Sheffield Eagles; Featherstone Rovers v Hull Kingston Rovers; Barrow Raiders v Chorley Lynx; Halifax v Leigh Centurions; Hunslet Hawks v London Skolars; Keighley Cougars v Workington Town; Oldham Roughyeds v Rochdale Hornets; Swinton Lions v Whitehaven.