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 (2004)
LocationHartpury, Gloucestershire, England
Ground(s)ALPAS Arena (Capacity: 2,000)
Coach(es)Mark Cornwell
Captain(s)Jean-Baptiste Bruzulier
Will Crane
League(s)RFU Championship
2021–227th
Team kit
Official website
hartpuryrfc.co.uk

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

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.

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. 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

Current standings
2022–23 RFU Championship Table
Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points for Points against Points diff Try bonus Losing bonus Points
1Ealing Trailfinders14120254724829912262
2Jersey Reds14121144127416711061
3Coventry13913393320739047
4Bedford Blues148064494133610143
5Doncaster Knights14806367327406139
6Hartpury14806319339−204238
8Caldy14608322392−707132
8Cornish Pirates14608275312−372228
9Nottingham13409326382−566224
10Ampthill12318278308−305221
11Richmond143110282443−1614220
12London Scottish141013241482−2413310
  • 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
Green background Championship winners will be promoted to the Premiership, subject to minimum standards criteria.
Red background will be relegated.
Updated: 30 January 2023
Source: "The Championship". England Rugby.

Current squad
For player movements before or during the 2022–23 season, see List of 2022–23 RFU Championship transfers § Hartpury University.

The Hartpury University squad for the 2022–23 season is:[3]

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union
Will Crane (cc) Hooker England
Luke Stratford Hooker England
Harry Fry Prop Wales
Peter McCabe Prop Ireland
Sam Rodman Prop England
Mitch Walsh Prop England
Jack Davies Lock England
Dale Lemon Lock England
Manasa Cakau Back row Fiji
Iain Grieve Back row England
Xavier Hastings Back row England
Oli Robinson Back row England
Harry Short Back row England
Aled Ward Back row Wales
Player Position Union
Jean-Baptiste Bruzulier (cc) Scrum-half Wales
Oscar Lennon Scrum-half England
Charlie Foley Fly-half England
Tommy Mathews Fly-half England
Luke Eves Centre England
Robbie Smith Centre England
Jack Tovey Centre England
James Williams Centre England
Ben Foley Wing England
Sam Goatley Wing England
Matthew McNab Wing Zimbabwe
Alex Forrester Fullback England
George Simpson Fullback England

    Notable former players

    James Merriman ( Bristol)

    References
    1. Team Homepage. Pitchero.com. Accessed 24 March 2012.
    2. Hartpury College RFC. Schoolsrugby.co.uk. Accessed 24 March 2012.
    3. "Team". Hartpury RFC. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
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