60-cap France centre Gabrielle Vernier signs for Gloucester Hartpury ahead of 2026/27 season

Gloucester Hartpury have signed France international Gabrielle Vernier from Blagnac Rugby, with the 60-cap centre set to join the three-time Premiership Women’s Rugby champions ahead of the 2026/27 season.

Vernier, 29, spent seven years at the Toulouse-based club, during which Blagnac were runners-up on three occasions. Her move to the West Country comes as Gloucester Hartpury look to rebuild after missing out on the PWR final for the first time since 2022 — and as they prepare to lose England international Tatyana Heard, who departs for Sale Sharks this summer.

The centre brings considerable pedigree to Kingsholm. She was named Player of the Championship at the 2023 Guinness Women’s Six Nations and has been a consistent presence in the Les Bleues midfield since her international debut against Spain in 2017. Her most recent cap came against Wales at this year’s Six Nations, though she left the match early with an AC joint dislocation.

Vernier said the club’s ambition was the decisive factor in her move. “From my first conversations with the club, I was struck by the ambition of the programme and the high standards expected every day, which made the opportunity particularly exciting for me,” she said. “The chance to compete in the PWR was another major attraction. It’s one of the strongest competitions in the world, and I feel this is the right stage of my career to embrace a new challenge.”

Vernier began playing rugby aged 10 at Rueil Athletic Club before progressing through Racing Club Nanterre. She later moved to Lille for university, representing Lille MRCV and winning Elite 1 in her debut season there.

Gloucester Hartpury Head of Rugby Dan Murphy described the signing as a significant coup. “Gabrielle is a world-class player who has consistently performed at the very highest level for both club and country,” Murphy said. “Her experience, physicality and game intelligence make her one of the standout centres in international rugby. Beyond her obvious qualities on the field, she’s a driven competitor whose standards and professionalism will have a hugely positive influence throughout our environment.”