Where are they
now?
Several students have gone on to have successful careers in the professional game after leaving Hartpury. These include:
Mat Gilbert
Position: Back row
Height: 1.90m
Weight: 109kg
DOB: 09/10/85
Scarlets back rower Mat joined Hartpury in 2004 and enjoyed a tremendous first season with the College, winning the BUSA Premier League South A with UWE Hartpury while helping Hartpury College RFC to the RFU Gloucester Three North title.
That rich vein of success continued for Mat during his remaining three years at Hartpury. He was a member of an RFC side that gained four further promotions and lifted the EDF Junior Vase, Senior Vase and Intermediate Cup. He scored a try at Twickenham as UWE Hartpury won their first BUCS Championship against Loughborough University in 2007.
Mat, who is severely deaf, also represented the England Deaf team in each of his four years at the College as well as the Gloucester A side.
He signed for the Scarlets in 2010 and was dual-registered with Welsh Premiership side Llanelli RFC. He scored his first Scarlets try in a 31-3 LV= Cup victory over Leicester Tigers in October 2011 and has gone on to establish himself as an important member of the RaboDirect PRO12 side’s first team squad.
James Merriman
Position: Flanker
Height: 1.83m
Weight: 100kg
DOB: 17 /01/84
Academic: BSc in Agriculture and Land Management
Highlights: James obtained a contract with Gloucester RFC Academy playing for the U21 side in his first year of studies at Hartpury College. James then got the opportunity to play for Wales U19 in the Six Nations and FIRA World Cup in Paris.
Whilst continuing his studies on a part-time basis James signed his first professional contract with Gloucester and captained Wales U21 Grand Slam in 2005. Adding to James’ wealth of international honours he represented Wales Sevens on the IRB Circuit and the Commonwealth Games in 2006.
Since completing his degree at Hartpury, James has taken a professional contract at Bristol Rugby, appearing in nineteen Championship fixtures last season, scoring seven tries in the process, and in 2009 winning the Rugby World Cup Sevens with Wales in Dubai.
Dan Norton
Position: Winger
Height: 1.8m
Weight: 82kg
DOB: 22/03/88
Academic: Foundation Degree in Sport & Exercise Management
Highlights: Dan was part of the winning BUCS side representing Hartpury in 2009, and a key part of the Hartpury team that won the EDF Junior Vase in 2007. Dan is no stranger to professional rugby having appeared for England Sevens in the 2010 Commonwealth Games where he amassed 20 tries in ten HSBC Sevens World Series tournaments, on the back of his success the previous year in the 2009 IRB Sevens Series.
In 2008 he was part of England's RBS Six Nations U20 Grand Slam winning team and also he represented England U18 in 2006/07 season. He currently plays for Bristol Rugby 1st XV after moving from fellow club Gloucester.
Andries Pretorius
Position: Back Row
Height: 1.93m
Weight: 110kg
DOB: 26/09/85
Academic: BA (Hons) Sport Business Management
Highlights: Andries came to Hartpury as an International student from South Africa. He captained Hartpury to win the BUSA Championship two years in a row and also to win the EDF Junior & Senior Vase in 2007 & 2008 respectively. He also represented England Students and was a successful member of the Gloucester Academy.
In 2009 he made the move to Cardiff Blues RFC and is eager to go down the route of becoming eligible for Wales on the three-year residency rule.
Andries reflected on his time at Hartpury and said:”If you’re serious about rugby, Hartpury is the only place to come and study; the rugby specific facilities are incredible, as is the standard of coaching. My most memorable rugby achievement in 2008 included playing for England Students against France and being a member of the Hartpury Squad that won the BUSA Championship at Twickenham – the whole student experience has been awesome.”
Matt Evans
Position: Full Back/wing
Height: 1.85m
Weight: 88kg
DOB: 02/01/88
Academic: BSC (Hons) Sport Conditioning & Coaching
Highlights: Matt was a key member of the Hartpury BUCS Championship winning side of 2008, and scored two tries in the EDF Energy Senior Vase victory at Twickenham in 2008.
Matt was signed by Newport Gwent Dragons in 2010 to play in the Magners League. The Canadian full back/wing represented Canada at U19 & U20 level and went on to be capped for the Senior Men’s team in 2008, 2009 and again last year in the 2010 Churchill Cup competition.
Matt has recently signed for Championship side Cornish Pirates.
Jonny May
Position: Centre
Height: 1.89m
Weight: 90Kg
DOB: 01/04/90
Academic: Foundation Degree in Sport & Exercise Management
Highlights: Johnny first came into the spotlight after scoring an eye catching hat-trick of tries for Hartpury College at the EDF Intermediate Cup final. He wanted to continue with his studies whilst playing competitively and the Hartpury Rugby Academy complimented his studies in Sport & Exercise Management.
His first representative experience at any level was for England U20 but he previously took a break from his studies to spend the summer of 2007 playing in Australia for the Brumbies Academy. Since running in two tries during the U20 friendly match against Cambridge University, he has notched another six in eight competitive games, including a hat-trick in the IRB Junior World Championship opener against hosts Argentina. He has recently signed a new two year deal with Gloucester Rugby’s 1st team after working his way up through the Academy ranks.
Jonny commented on his time at Hartpury College, “I came because I had the opportunity to play rugby at the highest level while continuing my studies. The support I have received from the coaching staff has been great and really improved my game. My Sport Business Management course is really interesting and I am particularly keen on the business aspect of it. I was thrilled to be selected for the England Under 20 squad, and aim to take rugby as far as possible with the security of knowing I will have a degree to fall back on.”
Henry Trinder
Position: Centre
Height: 1.83m
Weight: 90kg
DOB: 14/04/89
Academic: Foundation Sports Coaching
Highlights: Henry was a member of the victorious Hartpury team that won the BUSA Rugby Union Championship Final at Twickenham in 2008 and he went on to pick up a dual contract for both Moseley and Gloucester in 2009.
During his time at Hartpury he represented England U20; a key fixture was when he represented England in the final of the World Junior Championships in Japan in 2009. He is no stranger to representing his country having gone on tour to Australia with the U18s side and playing at the U18 Six Nations.
Henry has recently renewed his contract with Gloucester Rugby and makes regular appearances for the 1st XV Squad.
Dan Tuohy
Position: Lock
Height: 1.96m
Weight: 113kg
DOB: 18/06/1985
Academic: FdSc Sport Conditioning & Coaching
Highlights: Dan was part of the Hartpury’s BUSA winning rugby team in 2006/2007. He created history at Hartpury as he proudly claims to be the first former students to win a senior international cap for one of the home nations.
Prior to coming to Hartpury he started as a wing for Weston–Super- Mare Colts before he got the opportunity to make his first professional debut playing for Gloucester through Hartpury’s strong Academy links with the club, before then moving to Exeter chiefs.
Dan has since gone on to play International rugby for Ireland where he earned his first cap for his country on Ireland’s Summer tour to Australasia and is currently playing for Ulster Rugby.
Callum Black
Position:Prop
DOB: 25/2/86
Highlights: Callum is a former pupil of Colston's School in Bristol and was recruited to the Hartpury Academy by ex-Academy Manager Andrew Stanley. Callum went on to be offered an academy contract with Worcester Warriors.
Callum was born in the USA but has played representative rugby for Ireland at Under-18, Under-19 and Under-21 level and made his senior debut for Warriors against Newport Gwent Dragons in December 2005, before going on to make over 50 first team appearances.
Callum has recently signed a contract to play for Ulster Rugby in the 2011/12 season.
Tom Savage
Position: Lock
Height: 6' 5"
Weight: 115 kg
DOB: 18.4.89
Representative Honours: Barbarians 2011
Course: Sports Coaching Science
Hartpury Captain: 2010-11
BUCS Winner in 2009
Played in EDF Final in 2009
Played in 6 promotion winning teams at Hartpury
Tom now has a full time contract with Aviva Premiership side Gloucester Rugby, and has made several impresive starts in the 2011/12 season.
Will Tanner
Photo courtesy of Bath Rugby
Position: Hooker
Height: 5’8
Weight: 95kg
DOB: 13/09/92
Academic: BTEC Countryside Management 2009-11
Highlights: Having represented England at U16 level in 2009, Somerset-born Will joined Hartpury the same year and quickly established himself as a pivotal member of the U18 1st XV winning the RFU AASE League in his first season.
A player with an outstanding skill set for a front row forward and a remarkably accurate lineout throw, the 2010-11 campaign was an exceptional one for the hooker. He was ever-present in the Hartpury U18 side that went the whole season unbeaten and retained the RFU AASE League, scoring four tries, and he captained the team in the Grand Final at Twickenham after regular skipper Tom Ailes missed the match through injury. He was also selected for the England U19 Academies team that defeated Ireland in December 2010.
Bath Rugby rewarded Will for his success by offering him a full-time Academy contract in 2011. He did not have to wait long for 1st XV action; he came off the bench for his Aviva Premiership debut against Worcester Warriors on 25th November 2011 at the age of just 19 years, and made his first start against Sale Sharks the following week to round off a superb year.
Ed Shervington
Photo courtesy of Worcester Rugby
Position: Hooker
Height: 1.80m
Weight: 111kg
DOB: 11/03/85
Welshman Ed joined Hartpury in the infancy of the Rugby Academy, and became one of the College’s first internationals when he was capped by Wales at U18 level in 2003.
Transferring to UWE Hartpury to study Higher Education, Ed’s success continued as he helped the newly formed Hartpury College RFC to two promotions while also being selected for Wales U19 and U21.
After a brief spell at Gloucester Rugby following his departure from Hartpury, Ed returned to his native Wales to sign for the Ospreys, making his debut against Ulster in 2006. He went on to play 38 games in four years for the Magners League side, before joining Worcester Warriors in the summer of 2010.
Ed made 17 appearances and scored four tries in his first season with the Warriors, and was rewarded with a new contract in March 2011.
Joe Carlisle
Position: Fly half
Height: 1.88m
Weight: 95kg
DOB: 04/12/87
Joe joined Hartpury as a 16-year-old in 2004 and established himself as an extremely important member of an exciting U18 side that also contained England Sevens star Dan Norton and former Gloucester and Worcester hooker Matt Deacon.
The Swindon-born fly half signed for Worcester Warriors after leaving the College in 2006 and made his first team debut two years later, with one of highlights being his appearance as a replacement in the 2008 European Challenge Cup Final against Bath.
Joe honed his skills in the RFU Championship on loan at Birmingham Solihull and Coventry before seizing the regular No. 10 shirt at Worcester in recent seasons. He attracted rave reviews from pundits for his performances in the 2011-12 Aviva Premiership, whilst Warriors coach Richard Hill described him as “one of the most talented outside halves that I’ve ever seen.”
The Midlands club extended Joe’s contract by two years in February 2011.
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