Howden Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens is proud to unveil the inaugural Hall of Fame award – recognising outstanding contributions to grassroots rugby and celebrating those who have helped shape the modern women’s game.

This year’s recipient is the Hartpury Women’s Rugby Training Programme and it will be accepted on behalf of the team by Mike Hall, Director of Rugby at Hartpury University and College. The dedicated coaching team at Hartpury has been instrumental in developing female rugby talent from school level to the world stage.

Under Mike Hall’s leadership, Hartpury’s women’s rugby programme has become one of the most respected pathways in the UK, nurturing young athletes and equipping them with the skills to excel both on and off the field. Hall’s coaching journey has spanned key academy roles at Bristol Bears and Worcester Warriors, before coming full circle to Hartpury — where he initially established and grew the women’s training programme. Hartpury’s commitment to player development, performance excellence, and holistic athlete education continues to drive success across the game.

This honour comes in a landmark year for women’s rugby: England’s Red Roses lifted the Women’s Rugby World Cup on home soil in 2025 – a triumph that highlighted the depth and quality of the national pathway system. Hartpury’s influence on the World Cup squad was significant, with numerous World Cup winners having come through their programme and Gloucester-Hartpury RFC partnership, which is recognised as one of the world’s most successful women’s pathways.

Hartpury alumni and former students who have starred in the Red Roses set-up include:

• Zoe Aldcroft – England captain and World Cup champion
• Natasha “Mo” Hunt – Veteran scrum-half and World Cup winner
• Alex Matthews – Key setter in the England pack
• Maud Muir – Dominant presence in the front row
• Mackenzie Carson, Tatyana Heard, Emma Sing, and others who have combined their academic pursuits with elite rugby development at Hartpury before stepping onto the world stage.

Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens has championed inclusive rugby since first including girls’ competitions in 1998, giving young female players exposure to high-level sevens competition alongside their male counterparts. Over the decades, this festival of school rugby has been the starting point for many players who would go on to senior international honours, and it has closely watched the impact that grassroots coaching pathways like Hartpury’s have had on the growth of the women’s game.

The Hall of Fame award reflects Rosslyn Park’s ongoing commitment to recognising excellence and inspiring future generations of rugby talent.