Cambridge Rugby Club announce likes of George Bretag-Norris, Ben Brownlie and Matt Hema among 15 players leaving RFU Championship club this summer
The broom of change is set to sweep its way through the first team squad at Cambridge Rugby Club during the summer.
After what has been a difficult campaign in the RFU Championship, it has been announced that a total of 15 members of the current playing group will head for pastures new after this weekend’s final clash of the season away at Chinnor.
Chief among those leaving is captain George Bretag-Norris, who has made 213 appearances in a Cambridge shirt.
Matt Hema and vice-skipper Ben Brownlie, who have 169 and 111 Cambridge caps to their names respectively, will also be leaving alongside the duo of Joe Tarrant (96 caps) and Matt Dawson (72 caps).
It has also been confirmed that Ollie Betteridge, Jared Cardew, Louis Grimoldby, Sam Hanks, Tom Hoppe, Iestyn Rees, Josh Skelcey, Kayde Sylvester, Morgan Veness and Ashton Webb are also all set to depart, while Seb Brownhill, Jack
Meanwhile, loanees Sam Edwards (Bristol Bears), Archie Vanes (Leicester Tigers), Ewan Baker, Will Glister, Reuben Logan, Oli Scola (all Northampton Saints) and Joseph Gaffan (Hartpury University) will all return to their respective parent clubs or universities.
The club’s chief operating officer Rowland Winter said: “The need to rebuild a new squad alongside our new coaching team is obvious and overdue.
“We want to accelerate a significant increase in our standards of performance across the board and with several exciting new arrivals coming in for next season, inevitably, there are a number of players moving on from the club this coming summer.
“We’re saying goodbye to a number of players and fan favourites. Some of those players have been with us through promotion from National League Two and National League One and been integral to the DNA of Cambridge Rugby for around a decade.”
Next term’s squad building has also started at Ellgia Fields with confirmation that Ben Adams, Elias Caven and Billy Walker have all agreed terms for 2025/26.
It is expected that further news of retained players will be made by the club in due course.
