Hartpury University R.F.C.

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Hartpury University R.F.C." – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (January 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

This article needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (November 2023)

Hartpury University

Full name	Hartpury University Rugby Football Club
Union	Gloucestershire RFU
Founded	2004; 20 years ago (2004)
Location	Hartpury, Gloucestershire, England
Ground(s)	ALPAS Arena (Capacity: 2,000)
Coach(es)	Mark Cornwell
Captain(s)	Jean-Baptiste Bruzulier Will Crane
League(s)	RFU Championship
2022–23	7th
Team kit
Official website
www.hartpury.ac.uk/rugby/

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.

The club is based at

.

History

Hartpury College Rugby Academy was formed in September 2000 in partnership with Gloucester Rugby, consisting of a University side that competed in the

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.^{[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

• RFU Gloucester Three North champions: 2004–05
• RFU Gloucester Two champions: 2005–06
• RFU Gloucester One champions: 2006–07
• EDF Junior Vase winners: 2006–07
• RFU Gloucester Premier champions: 2007–08
• EDF Senior Vase winners: 2007–08
• Tribute Western Counties North
  champions: 2008–09
• EDF Intermediate Cup winners: 2008–09
• Tribute South West Division 1 West
  champions: 2009–10
• RFU Level Six Champions Cup winners: 2009–10
• National Division Three South West
  champions: 2010–11
• National Division Two South champions: 2013–14
• National League 1 champions: 2016–17

Current standings

2023–24 RFU Championship Table v t e
	Club	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Points for	Points against	Points diff	Try bonus	Losing bonus	Points
1	Ealing Trailfinders	17	14	0	3	695	371	324	14	2	72
2	Coventry	18	13	0	5	659	392	267	14	2	68
3	Cornish Pirates	17	12	1	4	501	361	140	10	1	61
4	Bedford Blues	17	10	0	7	512	444	68	11	4	55
5	Doncaster Knights	17	10	1	6	446	442	4	8	1	51
6	Ampthill	17	9	0	8	486	478	8	12	2	50
7	Hartpury University	17	8	0	9	483	465	18	8	4	44
8	Nottingham	18	7	0	11	452	578	-126	12	2	42
9	London Scottish	17	4	1	12	437	516	-79	8	6	32
10	Caldy	17	4	1	12	340	562	-222	6	1	25
11	Cambridge	18	2	0	16	326	728	-402	5	4	17
If teams are level at any stage, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: Number of matches won Difference between points for and against Total number of points for Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled
Green background Champions (qualify for Promotion play-off if eligible). Updated: 21 April 2024 Source: "The Championship". England Rugby.

Current squad

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

James Merriman ( Bristol)

References

External links

• Official website
• Championship Rugby