Hartpury University R.F.C.

Hartpury University RFC is an English rugby union club. The men's first team play in the second tier of the English rugby union league system, the RFU Championship, having won promotion from National League 1 at the end of the 2016–17 season.

Hartpury University
Full nameHartpury University Rugby Football Club
UnionGloucestershire RFU
Founded2004; 20 years ago (2004)
LocationHartpury, Gloucestershire, England
Ground(s)Hartpury University Stadium (Capacity: 2,000)
Coach(es)Mark Cornwell
Captain(s)Jean-Baptiste Bruzulier
Will Crane
League(s)RFU Championship
2022–237th
Team kit
Official website
www.hartpury.ac.uk/rugby/

The club is based at Hartpury University in Gloucestershire, England, and is made up primarily of the college's students and staff.[1] Hartpury University share a close relationship with Premiership Rugby side Gloucester, who use Hartpury's facilities as their permanent training base and provide a small number of academy players, all of whom are current or recently departed students, to supplement the Hartpury University team. Several Hartpury University players have gone on to play for Gloucester and other professional teams.[2] They also jointly run the Gloucester-Hartpury Women team in Women's Super Rugby.

History edit

Hartpury College Rugby Academy was formed in September 2000 in partnership with Gloucester Rugby, consisting of a University side that competed in the BUCS league system and under-18 teams. In 2004, The college's vision of a Saturday side came to fruition, and became known as Hartpury College RFC.

 
Women's rugby: Hartpury v Royal Navy match, May 2017

Starting in the eleventh tier of the league pyramid, Hartpury lost their first ever match in the Gloucester Three North league. That was to be the last time that the club lost a league match until 2009, when they lost to Thornbury after four consecutive promotions, an EDF Junior Vase and an EDF Senior Vase. That setback did not prevent Hartpury from gaining further promotions to National League 1. During this time the team both the level six Champions Cup and EDF Intermediate Cup at Twickenham.[citation needed] In the 2016–17 season, their third at Level 3, Hartpury created history in winning National League 1 with a 100% record — winning all thirty of their fixtures and only twice failing to secure a four-try bonus point.

As a result, the club now play in the Greene King IPA Championship. The first season saw them finish in 10th place, but comfortably clear of relegation. The finish continued Hartpury's remarkable record of having improved their final league position in every single year of their existence.

Honours edit

Current standings edit

2023–24 RFU Championship table
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD TB LB Pts
1 Ealing Trailfinders (C) 20 16 0 4 823 417 +406 16 2 82
2 Cornish Pirates 20 15 1 4 589 408 +181 12 1 75
3 Coventry 20 14 0 6 698 428 +270 15 2 73
4 Bedford Blues 20 12 0 8 590 563 +27 13 4 65
5 Hartpury University 20 11 0 9 627 551 +76 11 4 59
6 Doncaster Knights 20 11 1 8 509 529 −20 9 2 57
7 Ampthill 20 10 0 10 573 607 −34 14 2 56
8 Nottingham 20 8 0 12 487 615 −128 13 2 47
9 London Scottish 20 4 1 15 510 614 −104 10 7 35
10 Caldy 20 5 1 14 415 675 −260 8 1 31
11 Cambridge 20 2 0 18 382 796 −414 7 5 20
Updated to match(es) played on 25 May 2024. Source: "The Championship". England Rugby.
Rules for classification: If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order:
  1. Number of matches won
  2. Difference between points for and against
  3. Total number of points for
  4. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
  5. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
There is no relegation this season
(C) Champions (ineligible for Promotion play-off)

Current squad edit

The Hartpury University squad for the 2023–24 season is:[3]

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union
Will Crane Hooker   England
Will Goffey Hooker   England
Ethan Hunt Hooker   England
Rhys Davies Prop   Wales
Alex Gibson Prop   England
Brandon Jewell Prop   England
Joe Rees Prop   Wales
Joe Wrafter Prop   England
Cameron Cobbett Lock   Scotland
Jack Davies Lock   England
Dale Lemon Lock   England
Sam Lewis Lock   England
Harry Beddall Back row   Wales
Mitch Eadie Back row   Scotland
Josh Gray Back row   England
Ellis Hart Back row   Wales
Jarrad Hayler Back row   England
Harry Short Back row   England
Player Position Union
Mike Austin Scrum-half   England
Rhys Price Scrum-half   England
Owen Randall Scrum-half   England
Harry Bazalgette Fly-half   England
Nathan Chamberlain Fly-half   Scotland
Tommy Matthews Fly-half   England
Jack Johnson Centre   England
Robbie Smith Centre   England
Harry Tarling Centre   England
Brad Denty Wing   England
Sam Smith Wing   England
Matthew Ward Wing   England
Alex Morgan Fullback   Wales
Alex Forrester Fullback   England

Notable former players edit


International edit

References edit

  1. ^ Team Homepage. Pitchero.com. Accessed 24 March 2012.
  2. ^ Hartpury College RFC. Schoolsrugby.co.uk. Accessed 24 March 2012.
  3. ^ "Team". Hartpury RFC. 27 March 2024. Retrieved 27 March 2024.

External links edit