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 British Universities and Colleges Sport rugby union leagues.[1] In their first year, Gloucester-Hartpury Women 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 originally started with numbers as low as 4 and grew to a much bigger squad. The first captain was Stacy Payne (Hardie) and vice-captain 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]

The Gloucester-Hartpury squad for the 2022–23 season is:[10]

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

Player Position Union Evie Addy Prop England Kathryn Buggy Prop Ireland Abbey Constable Prop Wales Laura Delgado Prop Spain Cerys Hale Prop Wales Cara Hope Prop Wales Jayne Isherwood Prop Canada Maud Muir Prop England Ranni Samuda[11] Prop Jamaica Maya Learnard Prop United States Olivia Constable Hooker England Amy Dale Hooker England Ellie Gilbert Hooker England Kelsey Jones Hooker Wales Neve Jones Hooker Ireland Connie Powell Hooker England Zoe Aldcroft Second row England Gwen Crabb Second row Wales Sam Monaghan Second row Ireland Lilliana Popedec Second row Wales Eeva Pohjanheimo Second row Finland Tabitha Copson Flanker England Kate Williams[12] Flanker Wales Sarah Beckett Back row England Georgia Brock Back row England Georgia Brock Back row England Alice Burtonshaw Back row England Tiana Gordon Back row England Megan Issac Back row Bethan Lewis Back row Wales Alex Matthews Back row England Siwan Lillicrap Back row Wales

Player Position Union Pippa Robinson Back row England Jordan Russell Back row Jamaica Sisilia Tuipulotu Back row Wales Abi Walker Back row Bianca Blackburn Scrum-half England Natasha Hunt Scrum-half England Alicia Maude Scrum-half England Lleucu George Fly-half Wales Lizzie Goulden Fly-half New Zealand Charlie-Mai Manns Fly-half England Emily Williams Fly-half Tatyana Heard Centre England Hannah Jones Centre Wales Beth Jones Centre England Kerin Lake Centre Wales Rachel Lund Centre England Jorja Batishill Wing Ireland Emma Hennessy Wing Wales Olivia Jones Wing England Caitlin Lewis Wing Wales Lisa Neumann Wing Wales Cath Richards Wing Ellie Rugman Wing England Kelly Smith Wing England Sopihe Tandy Wing England Emma Mundy Fullback Lucia Scott Fullback 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