Gloucester-Hartpury Women

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.[1]

In their first year, Gloucester-Hartpury only played friendly matches, some of which were at Gloucester Rugby's home ground Kingsholm Stadium,[2] 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. The team won the Junior Cup in their first season.

In 2015, the RFU placed them in National 2 South West.[3] In their first season they finished second in the league.[4] The following season, they were unbeaten.[5]

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,[6] it was announced that Gloucester-Hartpury Women were awarded a franchise in the new women's top flight, initially known as Women's Super Rugby and now as 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,[7] Gloucester-Hartpury Women 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.[8] There was speculation that this was due to geographical considerations.[9]

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.[10] The final was held at Kingsholm Stadium, renamed 'Queensholm' for the occasion.[11] The final drew a crowd of over 9,600 spectators, setting a new record and tripling the finals attendance of the previous season.[12]

• Premiership Women's Rugby
  • Champions: (1) 2022–23
• Women's Championship Midlands 2
  • Champions: (1) 2016-17
  • Runners-up: (1) 2015-16

The Gloucester-Hartpury squad for the 2023–24 season is:[13][14]

Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union Amy Dale Hooker England Kelsey Jones Hooker Wales Neve Jones Hooker Ireland Kathryn Buggy Prop Ireland Mackenzie Carson Prop England Abbey Constable Prop Wales Oliva Constable Prop England Laura Delgado Prop Spain Ellie Gilbert Prop England Cerys Hale Prop Wales Maud Muir Prop England Evie Roach Prop England Ranni Samuda Prop Jamaica Sisilia Tuipulotu Prop Wales Zoe Aldcroft Lock England Carmen Castelucci Lock Spain Trudy Cowan Lock England Gwen Crabb Lock Wales Steph Else Lock England Sam Monaghan Lock Ireland Liz Shermer Lock England Lola Whitley Lock England Sarah Beckett Back row England Georgia Brock Back row England Tabitha Copson Back row England Bethan Lewis Back row Wales Alex Matthews Back row England Jordan Russell Back row Jamaica Kate Williams Back row Wales

Player Position Union Bianca Blackburn Scrum-half England Natasha Hunt Scrum-half England Lleucu George Fly-half Wales Lizzie Goulden Fly-half New Zealand Charlie Mai-Manns Fly-half England Tatyana Heard Centre England Hannah Jones Centre Wales Kerin Lake Centre Wales Rachel Lund Centre England Abbie Priestnall Centre England Nel Metcalfe Wing Wales Lisa Neumann Wing Wales Cath Richards Wing Wales Ellie Rugman Wing England Kelly Smith Wing England Sophie Tandy Wing England Lucia Scott Fullback England Emma Sing Fullback England Mia Venner Fullback England Pip Hendy Utility back England

Gold background denotes champions
Silver background denotes runners-up
Pink background denotes relegated

Below is a non-exhaustive list of former players for the club who have been particularly notable during their time at the club.

Rugby World Cup

The following are players who have represented their countries at the Rugby World Cup whilst playing for Gloucester-Hartpury:

Tournament	Players selected	England players	Other national team players
2021	17	Zoe Aldcroft, Connie Powell, Alex Matthews, Tatyana Heard, Maud Muir	Wales — Lisa Neumann, Bethan Lewis, Kelsey Jones, Gwen Crabb, Kerin Lake, Lleucu George, Cerys Hale, Hannah Jones, Cara Hope, Siwan Lillicrap (C), Sisilia Tuipulotu United States — Maya Learned