Hartpury RFC vs Bedford (H) - 18-13

Hartpury outlast Bedford to keep stunning unbeaten home run going

By Luke Jarmyn & Olly Darcy, at Hartpury 4ED Stadium

HARTPURY RFC dug deep to keep their fantastic unbeaten home record intact, battling hard to earn their fourth victory over the last five games.

Openside flanker Harry Short scored two tries while fly-half Harry Bazalgette added eight points with his right boot - thanks to a conversion and two penalty goals – to defy the tricky conditions and ensure Mark Cornwell’s side earned their tenth win of the season

It closes close the gap to the Blues to just four points, who due to their ill-disciplined went down to 13 men at one stage of the game, with a double-digit penalty count contributing to just their third loss in 13 games.

Hartpury came into round 15 of the 2025/26 season sitting in fourth place, seven points behind Bedford in second. Both sides made three changes from their recent wins against Worcester and Coventry, respectively, with two of those changes coming in the forwards.

Harry Bazalgette got the game underway for the home side, and they were the first to get on the scoreboard thanks to flanker Harry Short. The number seven made the most of a long Bedford lineout, stealing the loose ball and crashing over from five-metres out.

A string of penalties from the Gloucester side then handed momentum right back to Bedford, and after sustained pressure inside Hartpury’s 22-metre line, flanker Fyn Brown powered over in the left-hand corner to answer back for the visitors.

Bedford continued to have the lion's share of possession as Hartpury struggled to impose themselves in the first 40, and a penalty from fly-half Will Maisey gave the away side the lead just after 20 minutes.

Hartpury should have added a second try to the scoresheet after winger Keir Clark burst through the Bedford defence with support on his outside, but an inside pass was intercepted and cleared by the blue-kitted side, keeping them ahead at the break after a disjointed first half.

The scrappy-natured game continued into the second-half, but Hartpury were the side who cleaned up their penalty count, a contributing factor to their victory, while ill-discipline from Bedford gave the side currently sitting in second place in the Champ plenty of problems, going down to 13 men at one point due to two yellow cards after multiple penalties accrued, with replacement hooker Tommy Herman and blind-side flanker Archie Appleby both sin-binned for offside offences, while the Blues had to make a front-row change after Hartpury elected to go for a scrum.

Short scored his second try for the side in fourth place after a lovely lineout move caught the Blues cold, sneaking through untouched from just over five metres out and allowing his side to wrestle back control of the game.

Home advantage has been key when these two sides face off, with the last three winners of this fixture playing in front of their own fans, but some dogged defending from Bedford kept them in the game despite being down several men, holding up the ball several times.

However, Hartpury kept the scoreboard ticking over when it mattered most, with Harry Bazalgette slotting two penalty goals alongside his conversion to make it 18-10 and give his side a two-score lead.

Blues fly-half Maisey added a second penalty goal of his own with just under five minutes remaining to set up a grandstand finish, but a fantastic tackle from Tom Worts knocked the ball into touch and ensured Hartpury’s unbeaten run at the 4ED Hartpury Stadium continued.

Hartpury will travel to Chinnor for their next matchup in the Champ Rugby season, while Bedford will host Ampthill in a Friday night clash.

Stats:

HARTPURY RFC: Isaac Marsh, Keir Clark (Josh Field 66’), Robbie Smith, Ollie Allsopp, Ollie Holiday, Harry Bazalgette, Oscar Lennon; Harrison Bellamy (George Alexander 65’), Ethan Hunt 6 (Will Crane 55’), Alex Gibson, Dale Lemon, Jack Davies (c), Peter Paramore (Cameron Cobbett 65’), Harry Short (Ellis Hart 77’), Jarrard Hayler (Tom Worts 53’)

Replacements not used: George Perry, Sam Allford

Tries: Harry Short 2’, 55’

Conversions: Harry Bazalgette 3’

Penalties: Harry Bazalgette 66’, 75’

BEDFORD BLUES: Louis James, George Worth, Lucas Titherington (Tom Price 71’), Michael Le Bourgeois, Joe Hill, Will Maisey, Alex Day (c) (James Lennon 75’); Jamie Jack (Ben Griffin 64’), James Fish (Tommy Herman 35’), Oisin Heffernan (Monty Royston 64’), Ilan Evans, Alex Woolford, Fyn Brown (Archie Appleby 55’), Kayde Sylvester (Nicholas Finch 53’), Fred Tuilagi

Replacements not used: James Bennett

Tries: Fyn Brown 14’

Conversions: Will Maisey 15’

Penalties: Will Maisey 23’, 77’

Referee: Dan Jones (RFU)

Attendance: 670

Half-time: 7-10 (to Bedford Blues)

Star man: Harry Short (Hartpury RFC)

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Joyful Cornwell praises Hartpury’s ‘character’ after Bedford victory

By Olly Darcy & Luke Jarmyn, at Hartpury 4ED Stadium

Hartpury head coach Mark Cornwell said “you can’t teach the character” his side showed to grind out an 18-13 victory over Bedford Blues during round 15 of the 2025/26 Champ Rugby season.

That win for the Gloucestershire side saw them continue their unbeaten run at the 4ED Hartpury Stadium this campaign, and a brace of tries from Harry Short, coupled with a conversion and two penalty goals for Harry Bazalgette, steered the red-kitted side to a fourth win in five games.

Bedford’s points came from a Fyn Brown try, along with a conversion and a penalty goal for Blues fly-half Will Maisey, but ill-discipline saw the second half get away from them, going down to 12 men at one stage.

Cornwell cut a proud figure after the game, impressed at the battle and guile shown by his side to come out victorious.

“It was a tough game, that was. I just said to the boys that it was a proper, attritional championship game,” the former Gloucester lock said after he saw his side with their tenth game of the 2025/26 season.

“Two decent, well-organised teams were going head-to-head, but I think what got us over the line is that we were home and we wanted to keep our home record intact.

“The character that some of the boys showed there to get the win, you can't coach that.”

Hartpury were down 10-7 after the first 40, and a high penalty count had many worried that the game could slip away from the home side.

But a cleaner second half saw the university side become far more clinical and score points when it mattered, stifling Bedford.

“We had a word with them at half-time, and if we didn't sort that penalty count out in the second half, the game would have gone away from us quite easily,” explained Cornwell.

“It was a case of just trying to control how eager we were to get into the ball and the breakdown and stuff.

“They offer you opportunities, Bedford, but the referee, you've got to get him on the side as well. It was tough for us in that first half.”

However, Cornwell saw his side get over the line with a tenacious performance, winning their tenth game of the season to consolidate their fourth place in the Champ Rugby table.

It was a performance that showed plenty of heart and strength, and the former lock was keen to point out the fellowship throughout the whole squad.

“To a man, all of them, they've got unbelievable team spirit,” the Hartpury head coach stated.

“If you look at the squads that we play against, the full-time outfits, we shouldn't be winning these games.

“But what gets this lot over, the majority of the time, is that they bond together. Their team spirit and their work ethic for each other are second to none.”

A trip to Chinnor is next up for the red-kitted side, and then league-leaders Ealing Trailfinders will look to end Hartpury’s unbeaten run at the 4ED Hartpury Stadium the week after, continuing the tricky run of fixtures in 2026.

“It's a tough block, this. We know we've got some tough games coming up,” Cornwell said, looking ahead to Hartpury’s upcoming fixtures.

“Chinnor next week, they're playing some really good rugby. That's going to be a hell of a battle down there. We know how tough that is. Then we've got Ealing, the champions-elect, coming up here. Again, another real tough battle.

“Then we go to Coventry, and it's tough, and then Richmond after that. It's testing the boys, but they're mad keen for it. They step up, and that's great for a coach.

Double delight for Short sees tight Hartpury bond as a ‘difference-maker’

Hartpury flanker Harry Short said the bond of the squad is “making a real difference” after winning their tenth Champ Rugby game of the season, thanks to a hard-fought 18-13 victory over Bedford Blues.

An attritional game played out in round 15 of the Champ Rugby season, and it was Hartpury who did enough to come out on top with some disciplined rugby, while the Blues’ lack of discipline showed as they went down to 12 men at one stage of the second half.

Short scored both tries for the university team and guided his side to another home win, continuing their unbeaten record at the 4ED Hartpury Stadium across the 2025/26 season.

“We're on a good roll at the moment, sticking together. I think we're really coming through as a tight group at the moment,” the 26-year-old stated after Hartpury’s fourth win in five games consolidated their fourth place in the Champ Rugby table.

Hartpury’s ninth season in the second tier of English Rugby has been a hugely impressive one, highlighted by a famous win over Worcester Warriors at Sixways last week.

It’s one of many impressive wins the Gloucestershire side have racked up throughout this campaign, and Short has said the multiple years players have worked together are starting to bear fruit.

“This group of us have been together for quite a few years now, and it's really making a difference,” the flanker pointed out.

“The real character we're showing for each other, the fight to come back from being down at half-time to come out on the right side is great. We’re buzzing with the win.”

The flanker’s two tries came from the lineout, with the first being an opportunistic score after stealing a misjudged long lineout from Bedford, crashing over from five metres out.

However, the second try was anything but opportunistic, with a fine lineout move catching the Blues cold and allowing the 26-year-old to race through untouched and dive over the whitewash.

“That's the one we keep in the back pocket. That's Jack Davies' speciality!” Short said as he went over his second score.

“I don't think he does anything else in the week; that's what he just does, his line-out moves! But no, it's down to him, his call. I was just the lucky one on the end of it.”

“I think it was a real Champ Rugby game, a gritty win. We dug in there and came out on the right side of it. We just stuck together, and we definitely earned that one today.”

The superb win for the red-kitted side sees them sit just four points behind second-place Bedford, and a playoff-placed finish is fast becoming a real possibility.

However, Hartpury’s unbeaten home record will be tested to the maximum when they host Ealing Trailfinders next time, but a trip to play-off placed Chinnor will be another tough test for the university side.

“We’re just sticking together as a tight group, and just taking week on week at the moment,” continued the flanker.

“We've got some tough games coming up, so we’ll rest up tomorrow, and then we’re back in again on Monday with all eyes on Chinnor.”