Throughout the competition history the championship was contested by Lancashire, Yorkshire (both present in every season), Cheshire, Cumbria, Durham and Northumberland, Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, and Other Nationalities.

[1][2] All the constituent clubs of the NRFU at this point came from just three counties; Cheshire, Lancashire and Yorkshire so the championship was organised to involve sides from these three locations.

[3] In the first season the all three teams won one game each so the NRFU arranged a further round of fixtures so that each county had played the others both home and away.

[6] Durham and Northumberland's participation only lasted until the end of the 1903–1904 season when the county union withdrew from the Championship.

[17] The following season an additional play-off match was arranged between the two teams in the tie with the best points average.

In 1978-1979 and 1979–1980 both competitions ended in three-way ties but no play-off game was arranged and the title was awarded to the team with the best points difference.