John Barnes, the director of rugby at Hartpury University and Hartpury College, has acclaimed the seven students who have been signed for the Gloucester Rugby Senior Academy for 2019-20.

Jenson Boughton, Harry Fry, Joe Howard, Ethan Hunt, Isaac Marsh, Louis Rees-Zammit and Stephen Varney are among 10 players who have graduated from last season’s successful Gloucester Rugby Under-18 set-up.

A number of players in the Gloucester Rugby Senior Academy squad have featured at first-team level in recent seasons, both domestically and in Europe, and moved up to the first-team squad.

Hartpury students who have gone to play in the first team for Gloucester Rugby, whose training centre is based on Hartpury’s state-of-the-art 360-hectare campus, include England wing Jonny May and Wales forward Ross Moriarty.

John Barnes said: “We’re tremendously proud of the seven students who have been signed for the Gloucester Rugby Senior Academy for 2019-20 – it’s a great achievement.

“To be signed by one of the most successful rugby clubs in the country is a real credit to the dedication and commitment they’ve shown at Hartpury College while at the same time pursuing their ambitions of becoming professional rugby players.

“We were thrilled last season when Louis Rees-Zammit became the youngest player to represent Gloucester Rugby in a Premiership fixture, underlining the opportunities available to young players at Kingsholm if they show the right attitude and application.”

As well as its links to Gloucester Rugby, the rugby pathway at Hartpury means students can play for Hartpury College and then Hartpury University and its Championship club Hartpury RFC.

In December, Hartpury College won the AASE League final for the ninth time in 10 years, while Hartpury University won the BUCS Championship final for the third successive year at Twickenham in May.