Hartpury University R.F.C.

Hartpury University

Full name	Hartpury University Rugby Football Club
Union	Gloucestershire RFU
Founded	2004;22 years ago (2004)
Location	Hartpury, Gloucestershire, England
Ground	Hartpury Stadium [1] (Capacity: 2,000)
CEO	Daniel Bingham
Coach	Mark Cornwell
Captain	Will Crane
League	Champ Rugby
2024-25	6th
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, Champ Rugby, having won promotion from National League 1 at the end of the 2016-17 season.

The club is based at Hartpury University in Gloucestershire, England, and is made up primarily of the university's students and staff. ^[2] Hartpury University shares a close relationship with Premiership Rugby side Gloucester, which uses Hartpury's facilities as their permanent training base and provides 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. ^[3] They also jointly run Gloucester-Hartpury, who play in Premiership Women's Rugby, with Gloucester 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.

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

Starting in the eleventh tier of the league pyramid, Hartpury lost its first–ever match in the Gloucester Three North league. That was 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 plays in the Greene King IPA Championship. The first season saw them finish in 10th place, but comfortably clear of relegation. This 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

2025–26 Champ Rugby table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	TB	LB	Pts	Qualification
1	Ealing Trailfinders	13	13	0	0	580	209	+371	12	0	64	Play-off semi-finals
2	Bedford Blues	13	9	1	3	407	312	+95	11	1	50
3	Worcester Warriors	13	8	0	5	444	318	+126	11	4	47	Play-off quarter-finals
4	Coventry	13	8	0	5	497	385	+112	11	2	45
5	Chinnor	13	9	0	4	346	282	+64	5	3	44
6	Hartpury	13	8	1	4	373	338	+35	7	1	42
7	Nottingham	13	6	1	6	345	317	+28	10	4	40
8	Caldy	13	6	0	7	309	351	−42	8	2	34
9	Ampthill	13	6	0	7	334	497	−163	8	2	34
10	Cornish Pirates	13	5	1	7	345	343	+2	8	3	33
11	Doncaster Knights	13	4	2	7	328	342	−14	6	3	29
12	Richmond	13	3	0	10	267	356	−89	2	4	18	Relegation play-off
13	London Scottish	13	3	0	10	252	411	−159	4	2	18
14	Cambridge	13	0	0	13	230	596	−366	4	3	7	Relegated

Updated to match(es) played on 17 January 2026. Source: 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. Number of matches drawn
3. Difference between points for and against
4. Total number of points for
5. Aggregate number of points scored in matches between tied teams
6. Number of matches won excluding the first match, then the second and so on until the tie is settled

Current squad

For player movements before or during the 2025–26 season, see List of 2025–26 Champ Rugby transfers § Hartpury University.

The Hartpury University squad for the 2025–26 season is: ^{[4] [5] [a] [b]}

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 Ethan Hunt Hooker England Casey Williams Hooker Wales George Alexander [a] Prop England Harrison Bellamy [a] Prop England Jono Benz-Salomon [a] Prop Spain Rhys Davies Prop Wales Alex Gibson Prop England Tom Hill Prop England Archie McArthur [a] Prop England Ollie Minnis Prop Scotland Louie Trevitt [b] Prop Wales Steele Barker [b] Lock England Cameron Cobbett Lock Scotland Dale Lemon Lock England Freddie Ogden-Metherell [a] Lock England Dan Owen Lock England Peter Paramore [a] Lock England Jack Davies Back row Wales Jay Evans Back row England Josh Gray Back row England Deian Gwynne [a] Back row Wales Ellis Hart Back row Wales Jarrard Hayler Back row England Harry Short Back row England Freddie Stevens [a] Back row England Tom Worts Back row England

Player Position Union Sam Allford Scrum-half England Cai Gealy [b] Scrum-half Wales Oscar Lennon [b] Scrum-half Wales Rhys Price [a] Scrum-half England Ollie Allsopp Fly-half England Harry Bazalgette Fly-half England Ollie Holliday Centre England Max Knight [a] Centre England Haydn Lewis Centre England Robbie Smith Centre England Keir Clark Wing England Jack Cotgreave [a] Wing England Bradley Denty Wing England Josh Field Wing England Jacob Morris [a] Wing England Josh Carrington [b] Fullback Wales George Dufty Fullback England Alex Morgan Fullback Wales

1. Gloucester players who are dual-registered with the club for the 2025-26 season.
2. Bristol Bears players who are dual-registered with the club for the 2025-26 season.

Notable former players

Gallagher Premiership Richard Barrington (Saracens) Callum Braley (Gloucester Rugby) Gareth Evans (Gloucester Rugby) Mat Gilbert (Bath Rugby) Dave Lewis (Harlequins) James Merriman (Bristol Bears) Ryan Mills (Worcester Warriors) Tom Savage (Gloucester Rugby) Ed Shervington (Worcester Warriors) Elliott Stooke (Bath Rugby) Henry Trinder (Gloucester Rugby) Ben Vellacott (Gloucester Rugby) Alex Wills (Sale Sharks)

Guinness Pro12 Callum Black (Ulster Rugby) Andries Pretorius (Cardiff Blues) RFU Championship Dean Brooker (Cornish Pirates) Tom Calladine (Nottingham) Alex Dancer (Cornish Pirates) Matt Evans (Cornish Pirates) Tom Harrison (Plymouth Albion) Paul Jarvis (Doncaster Knights) Greg King (Moseley) Jordi Pasqualin (London Scottish) Tristan Roberts (Bristol Bears)

International

• Alex Cuthbert (Exeter Chiefs, Wales & British & Irish Lions)
• Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, England & British & Irish Lions)
• Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs & Wales)
• Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby & England)
• Sebastian Negri (Benetton Rugby & Italy)
• Dan Norton (England 7s)
• Jake Polledri (Gloucester Rugby & Italy)
• Louis Rees-Zammit (Bristol Bears, Wales & British & Irish Lions)
• Dan Robson (Wasps RFC & England)
• Charlie Sharples (Gloucester Rugby & England)
• Dan Tuohy (Ulster Rugby & Ireland)

References

1. "Hartpury Stadium renamed as Vodafone and 4Ed Foundation partnership unveiled". Hartpury University & College. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
2. Team Homepage. Pitchero.com. Accessed 24 March 2012.
3. Hartpury College RFC Archived 11 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine . Schoolsrugby.co.uk. Accessed 24 March 2012.
4. "Hartpury University RFC". www.hartpury.ac.uk. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
5. "Hartpury RFC squad for season 2025/2026". all.rugby. Retrieved 15 January 2026.

External links

• Official website
• Championship Rugby