EDF Energy Cup - : Hartpury College looking for Twickenham double

Hartpury celebrate their 2007 EDF Energy Junior Vase victory

Hartpury College looking for Twickenham double

8 May 2008, 5:07 pm

By Chris Heasman

They won the EDF Energy Junior Vase with ease last year, but can Hartpury College do the same again in Saturday's EDF Energy Senior Vase at Twickenham...

Hartpury College are looking for their second piece of silverware at Twickenham this season in the EDF Energy Senior Vase final against Doncaster outfit Wheatley Hills, kick-off 3pm, on Saturday (May 10).

The Gloucestershire side have already scooped the honours in the British Universities Sports Association Championship, defeating Loughborough University 23-15 on St. George’s Day.

This weekend they will be fully charged for another attempt to add to their already bulging silverware cabinet.

As reigning EDF Energy Junior Vase champions, beating Billericay 72-12 a year ago, not many people will be betting against Hartpury, especially as they’ve also wrapped up the Highbridge Jewellers Gloucester Premier league title, winning all 22 fixtures.

Hartpury Rugby Academy Director and First Team Coach Allan Lewis said: “This has been another good season for us but it’s not over yet. We have one final job to do and if we can win it, it will be the icing on the cake for us.

“It’s a great feeling to be in the final again, we enjoyed last year’s EDF Energy Junior Vase tremendously, and we are hoping for more of the same this time around.

“I think this year we have got an even stronger squad, and that has been why we’ve been able to be successful in the league, the BUSA competition and the cup, so far. We have used 40 players in our squad this season and we have rotated them heavily.”

It all adds up to make Hartpury clear favourites, but Wheatley Hills’ secretary Steve Hanson is not concerned about that.

“We’re quite happy to be the outsiders – in fact we prefer it,” he says. “We’ve had a fair bit of feedback from friends on the South West and from teams in Hartpury’s league and we have a game plan.

“Basically team-work has been our strength and the way things have turned out, the lads think we can go all the way. We’re taking the weekend very seriously and we’ve had a fantastic response from sponsors in and around the club. We expect to have over 1,000 supporters there and the mood in the club is very positive.”

Wheatley have fought every step of the way to earn the right to play at Twickenham. They were even knocked out of the competition in Round Two by Sheffield, only to be reinstated when their South Yorkshire opponents forfeited the game having played an ineligible player.

They were 18-0 down against Spalding, but came back to win 19-18 with a last gasp try and conversion and in the semi-final against Cullompton, they only edged home 15-13 after a testing encounter.

“We got lucky with the Sheffield situation and since then we’ve had home draws, which has helped,” added Steve Hanson.

“One thing that may be Hartpury’s undoing is that having already been there and done so well this season, they may be viewing the match as just another game, whereas for us it’s a very special day and the biggest occasion of their lives for our team. It’s a massive game for us.”

Fitness wise, Wheatley Hills have tests for flanker Ricky Wylie and three-quarter Mark Sanderson, with coaches Alan Howarth and Dave Wylie set to announce the starting line-up on Saturday morning.

Hartpury’s Allan Lewis certainly expects a closer affair than their EDF Energy Junior Vase victory last year.

“Wheatley Hills finished fourth in Yorkshire Two and they have clearly been enjoying a very good season. Honestly, we don’t know too much about them, but I don’t think we can expect such a convincing result in the final this time around.

“This is a different cup and we have found the opposition much tougher throughout the season so we are certainly expecting a much harder game this time around.”

For Lewis, the cup final will be his final hurrah with Hartpury College as he moves to Pertemps Bees as their Director of Rugby for the new season.

“Obviously, it’s going to be a special day but not just for me, for everyone. This match is also going to be the last game for several of our player who are leaving the college after three or four years so I am sure it is going to be an emotional day all round, whatever the result.”