GLOUCESTER-HARTPURY

Gloucester-Hartpury Women’s RFC was established in the summer of 2014 as a joint venture between Hartpury University, Hartpury College and Gloucester Rugby.

In the 2014/15 season, the team were only allowed to play friendlies while the RFU determined the correct level for them to enter. In the meantime, the team entered a cup competition and won the Women’s National Junior Cup in its first year of existence.

In 2015/16, Gloucester-Hartpury finished second in National Championship Midlands Two in their first season of league competition. The 2016/17 season saw the team win the National Championship Midlands Two title in some style and finish runners up in the Intermediate Cup Final. Many of the club’s players are students from Hartpury College and Hartpury University. The university student team competes in the British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) Premier League.

Gloucester-Hartpury made an immediate impact on the Premier 15s, reaching the semi finals in 2017/18: a campaign which remains their best to date. The club finished fifth and sixth respectively in their last two Premier 15s seasons, but have bolstered a squad already boasting the likes of 2021/22 World Player of the Year Zoe Aldcroft, with an impressive recruitment drive over the summer. The arrival of players such as Sarah Beckett, Sam Monaghan, Lizzie Goulden, Laura Delgado, Liv Jones, Siwan Lillicrap, Alex Matthews, and Maud Muir, saw Sean Lynn’s side smash through the glass ceiling of the top four, and - with such strength in depth - lift the 2022-23 Allianz Premier 15s title with an incredible 34-19 victory over Exeter Chiefs in the final.

Under Sean Lynn's guidance, Gloucester-Hartpury won back-to-back titles in June 2024, beating Bristol Bears at Sandy Park in a thrilling Final.

To relive that 2023-24 Final click here.