Colchester have opted not to take part in the end-of-season cup competition as they instead prioritise the league and aim to ease the workload on players.
The RFU-organised Papa Johns Community Cup takes place following the conclusion of the league season, with pool matches played in April and semi-finals and finals continuing into May.
Colchester were one of several clubs who decided not to take part in the inaugural competition last season, and it looks like several teams will make the same decision this year.