Bristol Bears secure the brains behind Hartpury’s staggering success as their new head of academy
by John Evely · BristolLiveBristol Bears have secured one of the most influential men in the development of rugby talent in the UK to lead the club’s academy.
Bristol have confirmed that Hartpury University’s director of rugby John Barnes will fill their vacant head of academy role following the departure of Alex Guest in the Autumn. Barnes will oversee a restructuring of the club’s Academy and deliver a new, long-term strategic plan, with Keith Leaker promoted to Pathway Manager after 14 years working in the Junior Academy.
Bristol director of rugby, Pat Lam, said: “We’re delighted to appoint John Barnes as the club’s new Head of Academy to take our pathway into its next chapter. Barnesy was the standout candidate in an extremely competitive and high-class field of applicants for this prestigious role. What he has done with the Hartpury University and College programme over many years is hugely impressive, along with his knowledge and understanding of the rugby and the people in our region.
“To be able to bring in a current director of rugby in English rugby’s second tier with so much experience of identifying and developing quality, young players and preparing them for professional rugby is a huge coup for the club and we look forward to welcoming him into the Bears family.
“We’re also pleased to recognise the work of Keith Leaker with his promotion to Pathway Manager. Keith’s contribution to the club over the past 14 years, embedded in the Bristol Combination and across the club’s Academy catchment area, has been outstanding and he is fully deserving of his new role.”
Barnes has a long history with Bristol having worked as a development coach within the academy for 10 years with the likes of Paul Hull and John Brain before taking up a role at Hartpury in 2010 where he has been a prominent figure in making the college and university the ultimate finishing school for fledgling professional players and internationals in the northern hemisphere. The rural Gloucestershire school is simply unrivalled in modern times for its production of international stars with the likes of England’s Ellis Genge and Harry Randall - who are now of course at Bristol - and Wales’ Louis Rees-Zammit among their high-profile graduates. The reach of Hartpury's graduates can't be over emphasized with every club in the Gallagher Premiership having at least on player who came through the school.
Hartpury have enjoyed remarkable dominance since Barnes has been involved, winning nine of the past eleven championships in the AASE league, for elite under-18 colleges. At university level in the BUCS Super League, while the likes of Exeter and Durham have come through recently, Hartpury have won the Championship final play-off in three of its six seasons.
As director of rugby, Barnes also oversees the best professional women’s team in the country in Hartpury-Gloucester, who are packed full of international talent, and the institution's Championship side in the second tier of men’s game. His CV is certainly impressive, with Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam looking for every advantage to strengthen the club’s academy having been dealt the smallest catchment area in the country following a recent shake-up of the boundary lines.
RugbyPass report former fly-half Barnes, who has been a season-ticket holder at Ashton Gate in the past, beat former London Irish academy boss Patrick O’Grady to the role at Bristol.