Bournville have retained the services of hookers Jamie Harding and Ben Harper as the preparations for the return to National Two West continue apace.
Harding, the son of former Walsall captain Rob, spent most of the 2025/26 season on loan with Bourns from Birmingham Moseley having returned to England from a two-year stint Ireland’s top-flight with Dublin-based St Mary’s College.
Before that he joined Bournville from the Leicester Tigers Academy having also gained National League experience with Loughborough Students.”
Harding played an important role in Bournville’s Regional One Midlands title-winning campaign between occasional appearances for Moseley and Head Coach Alex Grove is delighted that he is now back at Avery Fields on a permanent basis.
“Jamie is an experienced player and he was a key part in our much- improved lineouts last season,” Grove said.
“If we are going to have success next season and to compete at level four our lineout is a huge area of our game that we require if we are to launch attacks.”
Harper joined Bourns from club Staffordshire Barton-under-Needwood two years ago and has played all his rugby for the club so far in the Blues.
He was initially selected as a back-row forward but converted to hooker last season and Grove believes he has potential to develop further in that position.
“Ben started the season very much as a back-rower but he was open to the idea of transitioning to the front-row. He did an excellent job and was a stand-out players for the Blues last season,” Grove said.
“That transition isn’t completed in a season. It’s a longer-term process and, having had a few games in the front-row, Ben also then played in the back row.
“His ball-carrying lends itself to being in the wider channels where he’s got a bit more space. But he’s adding the technical aspects of front-row play – throwing and set-piece – to his game and he’s getting more and more confident each week playing in the front-row.
“Ben’s transition to the front-row, and ability to play there and also in the back-row, has been a real success story.”
