NCA Chairman John Inverdale has hailed ‘an outstanding response’ to the proposed National Cup with final details of the competition to be revealed in the coming weeks.

While the RFU yesterday confirmed scrums and mauls will be prohibited in an adapted form of the game, the NCA are increasingly confident some competitive action – with supporters – will be offered in the New Year.

And it was given a further boost after Government confirmed 15-a-side rugby will be allowed to return from Friday, December 18.

The proposed competition will begin with regionalised groups and from there a knock-out stage with a proposed Twickenham final will provide a showpiece main event to the shortened season.

Speaking about the coming months, Inverdale said: “I have been genuinely delighted by such an outstanding response and we will be doing everything within our power to put the format of the competition together over the course of the next couple of weeks.

“Obviously there are issues with a lot of clubs being involved in Tier Three at the moment and we are waiting for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) to make decisions on certain aspects of the game going forward.

“What we can genuinely say, though, is that we can see light at the end of the tunnel and we can see the day when the club’s at levels three and four will be back to their bustling, vibrant and dynamic selves again.”