The Yorkshire side, for whom centre Sam Leader was their most dangerous attacking threat on the rare occasions they won the ball, had to settle for a late consolation try by flanker Gaz Burns.

The students ran in 13 tries - wing Samuel Dimmick and centre Matthew Evans both scoring twice - and simply had too much pace, precision and athleticism for the game to be a meaningful contest.

And the bad news – for their opponents at least – is that Hartpury will be eligible to defend the trophy next season when they are playing in the Western Counties North Division, one league below the level needed for qualification for the Intermediate Cup.

"Wheatley stood up to us, particularly in the first 20 minutes, and made it tough," said man of the match Halotti Molitika, a 20-year-old flanker in Worcester's Academy set-up.

"But we came with a game plan, wanted to play what was in front of us and everyone did really well."

The students started with a flurry of three touchdowns, hooker Alan Keylock darting down the blindside in the second minute, centre Herman Botha crossing in the fourth and full-back Matthew Betty adding the best in the 13th, which Tim Stevenson converted.

Wheatley got themselves back in the game thanks to some brilliant defensive work – full back Ed Squires and pint-sized wing Ryan Richardson the pick of the bunch – and they drove their way into Hartpury territory earning Leader a penalty chance that the centre pushed wide.

Normal service was resumed on the half-hour mark, though, with centre Evans finishing off a long-range attack – Stevenson converting – and outstanding all-round contributor Molitika punishing a defensive mistake in the right hand corner.

Then came the try of the game – an 80 metre effort with a dozen players finished by lock Llyr Griffiths.

An opportunist solo effort from David Walsh and two Stevenson
conversions made it 43-0 to leave Wheatley Hills playing for pride.
It took 10 minutes of the second half for Hartpury to score again, Dimmick and Evans adding tries eight, nine and 10.

Wheatley's best spelle followed – a series of drives at the line held short – before Hartpury pulled away going into the final 10 minutes with second row replacement Royce Cadman running in from 30 metres and Philip Williams converting.

Then came the moment for which Wheatley had been waiting – a consolation score in the right hand corner from Burns.

The respite was shortlived, though, as flanker Matthew Gilbert added try number 12 and skipper Andries Pretorius number 13 with Williams converting both.

Wheatley Hills: Squires; Richardson, Leader, Barker, Howarth; Mitchell, Barker; O'Donovan, Bibby, Marshall, Penno, Scotting, Burns, Wiley, Elliott.

Reps: Pascoe, Starbuck, Guest, Marshall, Undy, Sanderson, Storey.

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