Hartpury Rugby Club begins the new Elior Champ Rugby season with ambitions of surpassing last year’s play-off experience.
Despite having one of the smaller budgets in the division, Hartpury secured a sixth-place finish last season, earning a spot in the inaugural second-tier play-offs. There, they narrowly lost 28-25 to Coventry, marking a closely contested exit. Central to their achievements was the squad’s strong and supportive culture, which enabled the semi-professional side to persevere through a demanding campaign.
Captain Will Crane emphasises the value of this culture in driving the team forward and hopes to foster even stronger relationships during the 26/27 season. Their first fixture will be an away match at Caldy on Saturday.
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Crane explained: “There’s no tall poppy syndrome here. No one is bigger than the team. Regardless of what you have achieved or where you’ve been, you’re at Hartpury, and we’re all waking up at 6:30 in the morning to train at 7am. It’s humbling. Everyone buys into it, which keeps us all accountable. That attitude carries on both on and off the pitch.”
Crane’s loan spell with Premiership side Gloucester, occasioned by their hooker injury crisis, was a notable chapter last year. The 32-year-old adapted well to the higher level and has brought valuable insights back to Hartpury’s 4Ed Hartpury Stadium as they prepare for another competitive season.
He reflected: “It was a privilege to represent both Hartpury and the league at that level. I enjoyed observing how top-flight professionals train and manage recovery. While we can’t copy everything, I’ve incorporated some of those lessons here and shared them with the team. Hopefully, it will make a difference this season.”
Hartpury continues its strategic partnership with Gloucester by integrating a steady influx of young talent from their academy. These players often gain experience with Hartpury to transition into the senior game, and the 26/27 season will again feature several rising stars.
One standout last season was highly rated 19-year-old Will Knight, who impressed in three games and made his Premiership debut. Back row Jack Davies anticipates further impact from newcomers such as No. 8 Tom Watts and loosehead prop Harrison Bellamy.
Davies commented: “Tom Watts earned opportunities with Gloucester thanks to his performances at Hartpury. He has trained with Gloucester throughout pre-season and looks like a big ball-carrying No. 8 who could have a strong year. Harrison Bellamy, who is on Gloucester’s books, is expected to spend significant time with us. He made great progress last year with regular game time, and I’m keen to see how he develops.”
While rival clubs like Ealing Trailfinders may have squads exceeding 60 players, Hartpury operates with a smaller group. Davies views this as advantageous rather than a disadvantage.
He said: “It’s well documented that we don’t have the financial resources of some other teams, but that might actually be one of our strengths. Many players stay because they love the club and the game, not for financial reasons. The environment and camaraderie here foster a tight-knit culture, which helped us edge victories in several matches last season.”
Elior Champ Rugby, featuring professional and semi-professional athletes, serves as a proving ground for emerging rugby talent. Fans can watch every game live on Clubber TV and free-to-air on BLAZE on Sunday afternoons.