Boys' Elite Rugby Programme
The Henley College Rugby Programme offers an unrivalled environment for talented and aspirational rugby players to combine their rugby development with a continued education. We have a proud history of performance rugby, offering pathway opportunities that enable selected players to pursue both academic excellence and a performance rugby environment. If you are interested in knowing more, see below.
Rugby Head Coach & Programme Manager:
Josh Barlow
Josh is the Rugby Head Coach and Programme Manager at The Henley College, having joined the team in September 2023. He is currently undertaking the prestigious England Rugby Performance Coaching Award (Level 4). With a strong background as a Coach Developer for England Rugby, Josh contributes to the delivery of advanced coaching awards, supporting coaches throughout their professional development journeys. He is deeply passionate about cultivating high-performance environments that foster growth and development for both students and staff. In addition, Josh brings a unique perspective from his previous career as a serving police officer with Surrey Police, instilling high expectations, discipline, and a strong sense of accountability within the rugby programme. His approach creates a culture where individuals can thrive athletically, academically, and personally.
Email: Jbar@henleycol.ac.uk
Assistant Rugby Coaches:
Alice Biba
Alice Biba is a dedicated rugby coach at The Henley College, with a BSc in Sports Coaching and a postgraduate degree in Further Education. They bring extensive experience in player development and promoting the sport. Previously, Alice coached and helped with the expansion of the girls’ sections at both Chinnor RFC and Oxford Harlequins RFC. Currently, Alice coaches the Oxfordshire U16s Player Development Group (PDG), helping young athletes reach their potential. Alongside coaching, Alice is an active player at Oxford Harlequins RFC, bringing first-hand experience to their role.
Ben Slessor
Ben is an assistant rugby coach at The Henley College with a strong foundation in technical and tactical expertise, honed through his playing experience with Scotland and Nottingham Academy and his BSc in Sports Coaching from Loughborough University. He has gained valuable experience coaching at prestigious programs such as Loughborough College women’s ACE programme and Edinburgh Men’s U18 Academy. Additionally, Ben is part of the Scotland Qualified Programme, which not only enhances the coaching environment but also provides players with increased opportunities to pursue their aspirations of representing Scotland at the national level.
Ashley Johnson
Ashley Johnson is an ex professional rugby player with over 20 years of experience at the highest level of sport, including international rugby, Super rugby and the English Premiership. Ashley brings a wealth of experience to his role as Assistant Rugby coach at The Henley College. His coaching CV includes Wasps Transition coach, Wasps u/18, Midlands Academy and England u/19. In his role at the West Midlands Academy, he mentored the EAP players to maximise their potential.
Strength and Conditioning Coaches:
Warwick South
Warwick serves as the Strength and Conditioning and Performance Coach at The Henley College, where he specializes in optimizing athletic performance through tailored training programs and sports science principles. Warwick holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Strength and Conditioning from Hartpury University, a renowned institution for sports performance education. His career spans multiple competitive levels, including roles within the Professional Women's Rugby (PWR) league, the Academy League, and NCAA Division 1 American Football. Currently, Warwick is also the Head of Performance at Chinnor RFC, competing in the RFU Championship. In this role, he oversees all aspects of physical preparation, injury prevention, and recovery strategies to ensure athletes perform at their peak. With a background rooted in elite sports environments, Warwick brings a wealth of expertise to The Henley College, combining cutting-edge performance strategies with a commitment to fostering both individual and team success.
Bayley Campbell
Bayley is a former international hammer thrower who represented Great Britain. He achieved notable success, finishing 8th at the World U20 Championships and reaching the finals of the European U20 Championships. At his peak, he was ranked as high as 5th in Britain. His athletic achievements earned him a scholarship to the University of Oklahoma, where he competed in the highly competitive American NCAA collegiate system. During his time there, he became a university record holder, conference champion, and completed a Bachelor of Science degree. Bayley not only brings his experience of being an elite athlete to The Henley College, but also firsthand knowledge of high-performance environments.
Sport Therapist:
Harrison Keward
Harry is a dedicated Sports Therapist with expertise in injury diagnosis, management and rehabilitation. He specialises in creating and implementing individualised rehabilitation programs alongside program wide injury prevention programs. With a BSc in Sports Therapy from the University of Gloucestershire, Harry uses evidence-based practice in combination with his personalised hands on approach to rehabilitation and therapy. He has extensive experience in pitch-side medical care, injury prevention and clinical skills from Rams Rugby, University of Gloucester Rugby, Birmingham City FC Academy alongside Elite 7s teams Eggchaser 7s, UR7s, and Artisans 7s. Harry is currently a Senior 1st Team Therapist and the Lead Rehabilitator at Rams Rugby. He was the youngest Qualified Sports Therapist to work at a National One game. Harry is extremely passionate about forming positive relationships with athletes to help them reach their full potential. He ensures he maintains player centred care, with the athletes best interest at heart.
Sport Psychologist:
Theo Abramson
Theo is a Sport and Exercise Psychologist (in Training), with over 1000 hours of experience supporting athletes across a range of levels — from grassroots to Olympic pathways. With an academic background in sport and exercise psychology, he now works holistically to support individuals and teams with both performance and personal development. Theo is passionate about helping athletes build psychological resource that last beyond the game, combining evidence-based approaches with a deep understanding of the pressures and challenges athletes face. He focuses on fostering resilience and long-term growth, empowering individuals to thrive both on and off the pitch.
The level of support offered at The Henley College rugby programme is designed to mirror a professional rugby environment.
It will develop you through:
Performance Coaching:
Our professional coaches are committed to developing the technical and tactical foundations of rugby through structured training sessions and competitive fixtures against Tier 1 opposition, with students benefiting from 12 to 16 hours per week of dedicated programme time.
Strength and Conditioning:
We deliver a bespoke training programme that maximises physical development and enhances on-field performance, ensuring students are fully prepared for the physical demands of competitive rugby.
Sports Therapy:
We offer full-time support through individually tailored prehab, rehab, and treatment programmes, designed to optimise recovery and maximise players' availability and performance on the field.
Performance Analysis:
The programme offers comprehensive matchday analysis through team and individual coding, supported by detailed stat sheets that drive one-on-one performance reviews. Training sessions are also recorded and uploaded to our video analysis platform, giving players continuous access to personalised insights that accelerate learning, support development, and enhance overall performance.
Sports Psychology:
We offer access to Sport Psychologists who provide players the support in effectively balancing the demands of their athletic commitments with the challenges of education and injury rehabilitation.
Rugby Mentorship Programme:
Upon induction, each student within the rugby programme is assigned a dedicated staff member who offers continuous support and guidance throughout their college experience, including pastoral care and the holistic development of the individual.
Established Host Family Scheme:
The Henley College rugby programme provides accommodation through a trusted and well-established host family network which is managed by the college. All host families are DBS checked by the college and personally visited by our Head of Programme before being approved to host students.
The Henley College Rugby Programme incorporates a range of technologies and evidence-based approaches to support student development through innovative and informed coaching practices, such as:
- Nacsport
- StatSports
- TeamBuildR
- VX3
- Output Sports
- Coach Logic
- Physique Management
Our facilities include
- Performance gym
- Sports hall
- Performance Analysis suite
- College Rugby Pitch
- Dedicated Rehabilitation gym
- Astroturf (Henley Hawks)
2024/2025
AoC U18’s Premiership Finalists 2025
AoC Sport Men’s Rugby Premier League South East Winners 2025
2023/2024
AoC U18’s Premiership Champions 2024
AoC Sport Men’s Rugby Premier League B Winners 2024
UR7’s Finalists 2024
NPA 7’s Finalists 2024
The following players are alumni of The Henley College Rugby Programme who have gone on to secure professional contracts or represent their country at age-grade or senior international level:
Aaron O’Sullivan (Ireland 7’s, Wasps and Leinster)
Alec Hepburn (England, Scotland, Exeter Chiefs and Scarlets)
Angelo Valentine (Italian Federation U18’s)
Cameron Anderson (Scotland AG, Wasps and Harlequins)
Connor Eastgate (Scotland AG, Wasps)
George Alexander (Gloucester Rugby)
George Makepeace-Cubitt (England U20’s, Reading Rams and Northampton Saints)
Jack Willis (England, Wasps and Toulouse)
Jimmy Leach (Canada U20’s)
Mario Pichardie Garcia (Wasps and Spain)
Mason Nicholls (Scotland AG)
Oskar Hirskyj-Douglas (Wasps, and England 7’s)
Tom Willis (England, Wasps and Saracens)
Will Neilson (Sweden 7’s and 15’s)
Will Simmonds (England U18’s, Wasps and London Scottish)
“Henley College has been a great experience for me, both on and off the rugby pitch, where I’ve been given amazing opportunities and made some great memories.”
– Seb James, Leaver 2024.
“The playing & training environment at the Henley College Rugby programme is of a very high professional standard with clear, concise measurable development plans established for the students/players throughout the year. There is also excellent strength & conditioning, rehabilitation and allied healthcare services available all year round. I would thoroughly recommend this programme for parents who want their child to develop within the sport of Rugby Union.”
- TK Watkins, Year 1 parent 2024.
“Joss has loved his time being part of The Henley College Elite Rugby Programme and living with his host family. He wanted to go somewhere where he could improve his rugby and the programme has more than delivered on this. The coaching team that Josh Barlow has put together is amazing and covers everything from Strength & Conditioning, skill development, video analysis, not to mention access to Sport Therapists. We have seen Joss grow as a player and an individual over the 2 seasons and we have had the opportunity to see this first hand when watching the team play - home and away. We wish Josh and the whole coaching team all the best with the programme in the coming seasons.”
– A&T O’Keeffe, Y2 parent 2025.
Use the links below to register for trials, contact the head of programme and stay updated with the latest information about the programme, including our social media channels.
September 2025 Intake
September 2026 intake: To be released Sept 2025