Hartpury University and Hartpury College are pleased to announce the appointment of Mike Hill as Academy Pathway Coach within the men’s rugby programme.
Mike will officially join Hartpury on 4 June, working across the BUCS Super Rugby and ACE College programmes as part of the institution’s continued commitment to developing high-performance rugby talent.
Bringing extensive experience from roles with Wales Women’s national rugby union team, Bath Rugby and Worcester Warriors, he adds significant coaching expertise and leadership to Hartpury’s performance pathway.
In his role, Mike will lead on the BUCS Super Rugby team while also supporting the ACE College programme, helping strengthen the connection between the different stages of Hartpury’s player development pathway.
Martin Haag, Head of Performance Rugby at Hartpury University and Hartpury College said: “Mike will be a brilliant addition to the programme and will bring great energy, rugby knowledge and care for developing our players.
“He has a strong appreciation of the standards, expectations and demands within a high-performance rugby programme and is someone who fully aligns with our ‘One Team’ philosophy across ACE and BUCS rugby.
“Mike is a player-centred coach who builds strong relationships and understands how to support young people both on and off the field. His technical and tactical understanding of the game, combined with experience across a variety of elite environments, will add real value to our coaching team and the wider pathway.
“Following Yann Thomas’ move to Bristol, Mike’s appointment strengthens our coaching group and ensures we continue to provide outstanding support and development opportunities for our players.”
Mike added: "I’m absolutely delighted to be joining Hartpury as Academy Pathway Coach and to be working across both the BUCS Super Rugby and ACE College programmes. Hartpury has an outstanding reputation for developing talented players in a high-performance environment, and I’m really looking forward to contributing to that pathway and supporting the players both on and off the field. This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a strong coaching team, and I can’t wait to get started."
The appointment further reinforces Hartpury’s reputation as one of the leading rugby development environments in the UK, with a fully integrated pathway supporting players from college rugby through to the professional game.
