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)Gillman's Ground (Capacity: 2,000)
Coach(es)John Barnes, Mark Cornwell, Alan Martinovic
League(s)RFU Championship
2019–2011th
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 30 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
2020–21 RFU Championship Table
Club Played Won Drawn Lost Points for Points against Points diff Tries for Tries against Try bonus Losing bonus Points
1Ampthill000000000000
2Bedford Blues000000000000
3Cornish Pirates000000000000
4Coventry000000000000
5Doncaster Knights000000000000
6Ealing Trailfinders000000000000
7Hartpury University000000000000
8Jersey Reds000000000000
9London Scottish000000000000
10Nottingham000000000000
11Richmond000000000000
12Saracens000000000000
  • 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 is the promotion place. Pink background is the relegation place.
Source: "Greene King IPA Championship". England Rugby.

Current squad
For player movements before or during the 2020–21 season, see List of 2020–21 RFU Championship transfers § Hartpury University.

The Hartpury University squad for the 2020–21 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 Hooker England
Jordan Liney Hooker Wales
Luke Stratford Hooker England
Ashley Challenger Prop England
Mike Flook Prop England
Cameron Holenstein Prop South Africa
Shaun Knight Prop England
Dan Murphy Prop England
Wayne Thompson Prop England
Tom Everard Lock England
Rob Fuller Lock England
Ben Kelland Lock England
Joe Quinn Lock England
Scott Russell Lock England
Ehize Ehizode Back row England
Iain Grieve Back row England
Will Hopwood Back row England
Dale Lemon Back row England
Rob Langley Back row England
Seb Nagle-Taylor Back row England
Rhys Oakley Back row Wales
Tom Pashley Back row England
Will Safe Back row England
Ollie Walker Back row New Zealand
Aled Ward Back row Wales
Player Position Union
Richard Bolt Scrum-half England
Will Flinn Scrum-half England
Robbie Shaw Scrum-half United States
Calum Waters Scrum-half England
Joshua Bragman Fly-half England
Luke Cozens Fly-half England
Nick Carpenter Centre England
Luke Eves Centre England
James Forrester Centre England
Steve Leonard Centre England
James Williams Centre England
Ben Foley Wing England
Sam Goatley Wing England
Dan Koster Wing New Zealand
Wil Partington Fullback England
George Simpson Fullback England
  • Notes:

    Notable former players
    gollark: Yes.
    gollark: Nobody is allowed any gender whatsoever.
    gollark: We should abolish gender entirely. Nobody should be allowed to use any gendered language or gendered expression whatsoever.
    gollark: By hacking eßobot.
    gollark: /e/ OS.

    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 August 2019.
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