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A Test player-stacked Hartpury College Production Line XV
By
Josh Raisey
Championship club Hartpury College have gradually established themselves as one of the leading producers of talent in England, with former players littered across today’s Gallagher Premiership and Guinness PRO14 tournaments.
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The list of players that have come through Hartpury’s ranks seems to grow larger and more impressive with every season, so here is a Production Line XV of former players:
1. ELLIS GENGE
The England loosehead was captain of Hartpury College before joining Bristol in 2013 at the age of 18.
2. AMY COKAYNE
The Harlequins hooker studied her A-Levels at Hartpury shortly before earning her first England cap in 2015 at the age of 18.
3. NICKY THOMAS
Ospreys’ tighthead signed for Gloucester after attending Hartpury. It was followed by a stint with both the Scarlets and Bristol before he rejoined Ospreys last summer.
4. JONNY HILL
An England debutant in the autumn, he moved to Hartpury at the age of 17 before joining Gloucester and later Exeter.
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5. ELLIOTT STOOKE
Bath’s second row was one of many players that made the leap from Hartpury to playing professionally for Gloucester earlier in his career.
6. ROSS MORIARTY
The British and Irish Lions, Wales and Dragons back row was loaned to Hartpury during the early days of his Gloucester career.
7. SEB NEGRI
A member of the Italian back row with links to Gloucestershire, he came to the college after leaving the Western Province academy in South Africa.
8. JAKE POLLEDRI
Like compatriot Negri, the Gloucester favourite also helped the College earn promotion to the Championship in 2017.
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9. DAN ROBSON
The England and Wasps half-back is part of a long list of many scrum-halves to have played for Hartpury, which includes Callum Braley, Stephen Varney and Harry Randall.
10. BILLY BURNS
Ireland’s recently capped fly-half was a student from 2010 to 2012, playing alongside Moriarty, Stooke, Genge, Hill, Braley and Lewis Ludlow in the U18s junior academy. We could have easily gone for Scotland’s Adam Hastings here but as he played but didn’t study at Hartpury, we have given the nod to Burns.
11. JONNY MAY
A mainstay in the England squad now, he joined Gloucester after attending Hartpury College. He also did a part-time university course while playing for the Cherry and Whites.
12. MERAB SHARIKADZE
Georgia’s captain moved to England in 2011 to play for Hartpury before moving to France in 2013 where he is now an Aurillac mainstay.
13. RUARIDH MCCONNOCHIE
The Bath and England speedster was selected for England 7s while playing for Hartpury and won a silver medal for Britain at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
14. ALEX CUTHBERT
The Lions, Wales and Exeter winger played alongside May at Hartpury before his club and Test career took off.
15. LOUIS REES-ZAMMIT
The 19-year-old Wales and Gloucester sensation is one of the latest players to have come from the Hartpury production line.
?? When Harry met Jim ?@hazrandall9 and @jimhamilton4 chew the fat on @RugbyPass #AllAccess.
View here ?
— Bristol Bears ? (@BristolBears) January 18, 2021
