Hartpury College head coach Oli Wilson attributed a third successive Continental Tyres Schools Cup final triumph to the ‘family’ environment his side have created.

Hartpury prevailed 41-5 winners over Exeter College in the under-18s girls colleges Cup final at Twickenham.

Wilson's team have become the dominant force among their rival schools but he insists there is a softer side to the Hartpury winning machine.

“We’re a family,” he said. “That’s what we always talk about, having a family environment, being there for each other, working hard.

“There’s always going to be arguments but at the end of the day, you stick together and play for each other.

“It’s an amazing outcome from the day, especially with the build up and the season we’ve had. Just to finish on such a high and for the girls to put in a performance like they did is fantastic, we couldn’t have asked for any more.

“I think they were still soaking in the atmosphere by the end of the first half, so it was a bit of a slow burner but we pulled away in the end which was nice. They felt a bit more comfortable and showed what we could do.”

Abigail Pritchard scored a hat-trick, Daisy Aspinall crossed twice while Gabby Radziejowski and Alaw Pyrs were also on the scoresheet in a conclusive victory at the home of rugby.

The wider day was a celebration of girls rugby, with 30 schools participating in the Girls' U12 Love Rugby Showcase Festival.

The schools were recognised and invited due to the development of their girls' rugby offering and display of the RFU’s Core Rugby Values.

Many of the girls playing at Twickenham were new to the sport, demonstrating the growth of the game supported by over 22,000 age grade girls registrations in the 2023/24 season.

“It’s an amazing experience,” said Wilson. “We’ve spoken about how we’re more than just a 22 player squad, there are 40 to 50 us who have been working hard as a group collectively.

“So for them to bring this home for everyone is fantastic and to do it at the home of rugby for the first time ever is an amazing achievement. Hats off to the hard work everyone has put in, not just the 22, but to everyone behind the scenes.

“Fingers crossed they can make it on the big stage, they work so hard day in, day out. That’s where they want to be ultimately and that’s their goal, so hopefully their trajectory is only up.”

The Continental Tyres Schools Cup is an important part of the age-grade rugby landscape in England, with schools’ rugby often where players fall in love with the game for the first time. For more information visit the Continental Tyres Schools Cup section of the England Rugby Website