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Gloucester–Hartpury
Rugby team From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Gloucester–Hartpury Women's Rugby Football Club are an English women's rugby union club based in Hartpury, Gloucestershire. They are the unified women's team of Gloucester Rugby and Hartpury University R.F.C. They were founded in 2014 and since 2017 they have played in Premiership Women's Rugby.
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History
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2014–2017: Formation & early years
In 2014, Gloucester Rugby and Hartpury College came together to found a women's team to be run under the jurisdiction of Gloucester Rugby to capitalise upon the popularity of women's rugby in the area. Hartpury College already had a women's team competing in the BUCS rugby union leagues.[4]
In their first year, Gloucester–Hartpury only played friendly matches, some of which were at Gloucester Rugby's home ground Kingsholm Stadium,[5] whilst the Rugby Football Union decided which league to place them in. The team started with numbers as low as 4 and grew into a much bigger squad. The first captain was Stacy Payne (Hardie) and the vice-captain was Jessica Morgan.[citation needed] The team won the Junior Cup in their first season.[6][7]
In 2015, the RFU placed them in Women's Championship Midlands 2.[7] In their first season they finished second in the league.[8] The following season, they were unbeaten.[9]
2017–2023: Premier 15's
In 2017, to take advantage of an increase in women's rugby participation following England's victory in the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup,[10] it was announced that Gloucester–Hartpury were awarded a franchise in the new women's top flight, the Premier 15s, as part of a reorganisation of women's rugby in England, despite never competing in the Women's Premiership or Women's Championship and moving up two leagues as a result. This was controversial as, despite the franchises being awarded by an independent body,[11] Gloucester–Hartpury were awarded the position in top flight at the expense of Lichfield Ladies who had been competing in the top flight of English women's rugby for 15 years.[12] There was speculation that this was due to geographical considerations.[13]
2022–2025: Increased funding and league success
Ahead of the 2022-23 Premier 15s season, Gloucester Rugby announced a significant increase in funding to Gloucester–Hartpury by almost 500%, matching an enhanced contribution from Hartpury University. It was also announced that both the men's and the women's team would wear the same design kit.[14][15] Former Gloucester player and Gloucester–Hartpury coach James Forrester was appointed CEO of the team in 2023.[16]
In 2023, the team won the Premier 15s by beating Exeter Chiefs Women. By doing so, Gloucester–Hartpury became the first team based outside of London to win the league title.[17] The final was held at Kingsholm Stadium, renamed 'Queensholm' for the occasion.[18] The final drew a crowd of over 9,600 spectators, setting a new record and tripling the finals attendance of the previous season.[19]
Premier 15s rebranded as Premiership Women's Rugby for the 2023–24 season onwards.[20] Gloucester–Hartpury improved their form from the previous season winning 15 out of the 16 regular season games. Gloucester–Hartpury went on to win the final against Bristol Bears 36–24 becoming the second team after Saracens to win two titles in a row.[21]
In January 2025, it was announced that long-time head coach Sean Lynn would take on a new role as head coach of the Wales Women. Lynn will initially continue as head coach of Gloucester–Hartpury alongside his duties with Wales, he will step down from his role at Gloucester–Hartpury at the end of the Premiership season in March 2025 to focus entirely on his position with the Welsh team.[22] In February 2025, it was announced that CEO James Forrester would step down at the end of the 2024–25 season to move to a new role at Gloucester Rugby, it was also revealed that all commercial rights for Gloucester–Hartpury would sit under Gloucester Rugby from February 2025.[23]
In March 2025, Gloucester–Hartpury won the PWR for a third consecutive time after beating Saracens 34–19. They became the second team to win the title three times, and the first to team to claim a three-peat.[24] The 2025 final was Sean Lynn's last game as head coach,[25] and Forrester's final game as CEO.[23]
2025–present: Post Lynn era
In April 2025, it was announced that Dan Murphy was appointed as Head Coach.[3] Under Lynn's leadership, Murphy was scrum coach for Gloucester–Hartpury.[26] On 23 June 2025, it was announced that Murphy had appointed former England international Matt Banahan as his assistant coach.[27]
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Current squad
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The Gloucester–Hartpury squad for the 2025–26 season is:[28]
Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.
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Club Staff
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Coaching Team
- Dan Murphy — Head of Rugby[3]
- Matt Banahan — Assistant coach[27]
- Andrew Ford — Assistant coach[29]
List of head coaches
- As of 30 November 2025
Notes
- Results from the 2014–15 season are not included as no complete record was kept.
- Although Appleby left her role in January 2020, no results from the 2019–20 season are included as the season was annulled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, while Lynn joined part-way through the 2019–20 season, results start from the 2020–21 season.
- Results from this competition are not included as no complete record was kept.
Season summaries
Gold background denotes champions
Silver background denotes runners-up
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Season records
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Results per opposition
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The following table details the past performance of Gloucester–Hartpury against different opponents in Premiership Women's Rugby, between the start of the 2017-18 season and the end of the 2023–24 season.[50]
- Data includes all regular season and play-off matches (semi-finals and finals).
- The 2019–20 season is excluded due to it being abandoned because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- All fixtures added from 2017–18 to 2024–25.
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Club honours
- Premiership Women's Rugby
- Women's Championship Midlands 2
- Champions: (1) 2016–17
- Runners-up: (1) 2015–16
- RFU Women's Intermediate Cup
- Runners-up: (1) 2016–17
- RFU Women's Junior Cup
- Champions: (1) 2014–15
Notable players
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Below is a non-exhaustive list of former players for the club who have been particularly notable during their time at the club.
Zoe Aldcroft – 2021 World Rugby Women's 15s Player of the Year;[51] played in the 2021 Rugby World Cup final,[52] became England captain in January 2025,[53] and led the team to victory in the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup final[54] while representing Gloucester–Hartpury.- Alex Matthews – played in the 2021 Rugby World Cup final,[52] and won the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup final[54] while at Gloucester–Hartpury.
- Maud Muir – played in the 2021 Rugby World Cup final,[52] and won the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup final[54] while at Gloucester–Hartpury.
- Tatyana Heard – played in the 2021 Rugby World Cup final while at Gloucester–Hartpury,[52] and won the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup final.[54]
- Jade Shekells – part of the wider England squad that won the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup[54] while at Gloucester–Hartpury.
- Emma Sing – part of the wider England squad that won the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup[54] while at Gloucester–Hartpury.
- Natasha Hunt – part of the wider England squad that won the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup[54] while at Gloucester–Hartpury.
- Mackenzie Carson – part of the wider England squad that won the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup[54] while at Gloucester–Hartpury.
Rugby World Cup
The following are players who have represented their countries at the Rugby World Cup whilst playing for Gloucester–Hartpury:
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Sources
- Collier, Chris; King, Malc; Williams, Dick (2023). 150 Years of Gloucester Rugby. Hobnob Press. ISBN 978-1-914407-63-5.
References
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