Next season's Cheltenham Combination cup competitions are set to undergo change.

Organisers are planning to hold the cup draws for the Senior Cup, Junior Cup and Minor Shield ahead of the 2025/26 campaign to allow clubs much more time to get the matches played. The end-of-season finals day will remain.

Traditionally the cup draws are made in the second half of the season with matches played once the clocks go forward at the end of March.

But clubs, particularly those with teams in the Senior Cup, have been finding it tougher to fulfil their fixtures because of the demands placed on them by league and national cup commitments.

This season's Senior Cup final between Smiths and Stow-on-the-Wold, which should have taken place on Saturday, was cancelled because Smiths had a Papa John's Cup semi-final game to play.

Only four teams entered this year's Senior Cup and Old Patesians and Cheltenham North gave Smiths and Stow byes into the final.

In a statement ahead of this year's finals day at Cheltenham Saracens, the Cheltenham Combination said: "The Senior Cup, sadly, will not be contested this year.

"All club's 1st XVs have been plagued with a triple whammy of tough league seasons, the Papa John's Cup and the Combination Cup competing for space in the fixture list.

"The Cheltenham District Rugby Combination is made, as the name suggests, of all clubs combining to deliver a local competition and we’ve created a proposal to change the format for next year.

"We’ll now be voting on a significant change. It is proposed that we make the draw over the summer and give clubs the entire season to fit the matches in.

"Where teams play in the same league, a double-header situation might arise or feature matches could be fitted in on Six Nations weekends, for example.

"The details will follow if the clubs agree to make the change but all clubs want to provide the best and most sustainable form of opportunity for players.

"Competing with national competitions with a final at Twickenham is not for the Combination.

"We want to deliver a jewel in the crown of local rugby and a gala finals day which brings all our community together to celebrate the best thing ever - rugby."

Two finals did take place on Saturday with Old Patesians enjoying a cup double. Their 2nds beat Cheltenham Saracens 32-30 to win the Junior Cup and their 3rds overcame Cheltenham North 3rds 60-19 to clinch the Minor Shield.

Smiths withdrew from the Senior Cup final because of their Papa John's Cup Counties 2 Championship semi-final game against Dinnington at the Prince of Wales Stadium, a game they won 31-29. They will play Counties 2 Kent club Old Elthamians in the final at Twickenham on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Cheltenham North are in the final of the Papa John's Cup Counties 2 South Plate final and will play Honiton at Dings Crusaders on Saturday.