Hartpury College R.F.C.

Hartpury College

Full name	Hartpury College Rugby Football Club
Founded	2004 (2004)
Location	Hartpury, Gloucestershire, England
Ground(s)	College Stadium (Capacity: 2,000)
Coach(es)	John Barnes, Mark Cornwell, Alan Martinovic
Captain(s)	Chris Fortey
League(s)	National League 2 South
2012–13	3rd
Team kit
Official website
www.hartpury.ac.uk/Sport/Rugby-RFC

Hartpury College R.F.C. is an English rugby union club that currently plays in National Division Two South, the fourth tier of the English league system. The club is based at Hartpury College in Gloucestershire, England, and is made up primarily of the college's students and staff.^[1] Hartpury College share a close relationship with Aviva Premiership side Gloucester Rugby, 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 R.F.C. team. Several Hartpury College players have gone on to play for Gloucester and other professional teams.^[2]

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 U18 teams. In 2004, College Principal Malcolm Wharton's vision of a Saturday side came to fruition, and became known as Hartpury College R.F.C.^{[citation needed]}

Starting on the bottom rung of the ladder, Hartpury lost their first ever match in the RFU Gloucester Three North league. That was to be the last time that the club tasted defeat 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 a further three straight promotions to their current position in National Division Two South, during which time the team amassed only two more defeats and won both the Level Six Champions Cup and EDF Intermediate Cup at Twickenham.^{[citation needed]}

Current standings

Current squad

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

Player Position Union Will Tanner Hooker England Chris Fortey Hooker England Callum O'Connell Hooker England Nathan Taylor Hooker England Ricky Cano Prop England Alec Clarey Prop England Darren Crompton Prop England James Gibbons Prop England Wayne Thompson Prop England Jimmy Litchfield Prop England Des Merrey Prop Ireland Will Waldron Lock Wales Joe Batley Lock England Jonny Hill Lock England Dave McKee Lock Ireland Simon Linsell Lock England Lewis Ludlow Flanker England Andy Chesters Flanker England Ross Moriarty Flanker England Sam Pitchford Flanker England Tom MacDonald Flanker England Alex Woodburn Flanker England Tom Ailes Number 8 England Nathan Thomas Number 8 Wales

Player Position Union Ben Vellacott Scrum-half Scotland Grant Hancox Scrum-half England Mitch Spencer Scrum-half England Billy Burns Fly-half England Tim Stevenson Fly-half Wales George Boulton Centre England Steve Leonard Centre England Ben Roberts Centre Wales Terry Fanolua Centre Samoa Seb Rodwell Centre Italy Reuben Haile Wing England Alex O'Meara Wing Ireland Steph Reynolds Wing England Jaike Carter Wing Spain Cameron Roberts Wing England Craig Jackson Fullback Scotland Sean Marsden Fullback England Gareth Thompson Fullback Wales Dan Norton Fullback England

Honours

2011

• RFU National Division Three South West champions

2010

• RFU South West One champions
• RFU Level Six Champions Cup winners

2009

• RFU Western Counties North champions
• EDF Intermediate Cup winners

2008

• RFU Gloucester Premier champions
• EDF Senior Vase winners

2007

• RFU Gloucester One champions
• EDF Junior Vase champions

2006

• RFU Gloucester Two champions

2005

• RFU Gloucester Three North champions

Notable former players

Aviva Premiership

• Mat Gilbert (Bath Rugby)
• Dave Lewis (Exeter Chiefs)
• Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby)
• Tom Savage (Gloucester Rugby)
• Charlie Sharples (Gloucester Rugby)
• Elliott Stooke (Gloucester Rugby)
• Dan Robson (Gloucester Rugby)
• Ryan Mills (Gloucester Rugby)
• Gareth Evans (Gloucester Rugby)
• Henry Trinder (Gloucester Rugby)
• Richard Barrington (Saracens)
• Ed Shervington (Worcester Warriors)
• Harry Casson (Worcester Warriors)

RaboDirect Pro12

• Andries Pretorius (Cardiff Blues)
• Callum Black (Ulster Rugby)
• Dan Tuohy (Ulster Rugby)
• Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues)

RFU Championship

• Callum Braley (Bristol Rugby)
• James Merriman (Bristol Rugby)
• Tristan Roberts (Bristol Rugby)
• Matt Evans (Cornish Pirates)
• Alex Dancer (Cornish Pirates)
• Richard Townsend (Ealing Trailfinders)
• James Love (London Scottish)
• Jordi Pasqualin (London Scottish)
• Greg King (Moseley)
• Tom Calladine (Nottingham)
• Tom Harrison (Plymouth Albion)

References

External links

• Hartpury Rugby Academy
• Hartpury College