Trans-Pennine Cup

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The Trans-Pennine Cup was a short-lived competition for professional British rugby league clubs outside Super League. It was played for during the period in which all non-Super League professional clubs were grouped into a single competition, the Northern Ford Premiership: 1998-2001.

The competition had no qualification rounds; only a final was played. The finalists were the highest placed team in the Northern Ford Premiership from either side of the Pennines (Yorkshire versus Lancashire/Cumbria), at an early stage of the season.

In 2001 the competition was replaced by the Buddies Cup, a longer competition, allowing the 2001-02 season to be extended until September in preparation for a summer season in 2003. As part of the switch to summer rugby league below Super League was completely re-organised into the Rugby League National Leagues.

The replacement competition, generically (ignoring sponsorhip) titled the National League Cup, is still played.