Sport Lisboa e Benfica (Portuguese pronunciation: [sɨˈpɔɾ liʒˈβoɐ i βɐ̃jˈfikɐ] ), commonly known as Benfica, is a Portuguese rugby union team based in Lisbon. Founded in 1924, Benfica is one of the oldest Portuguese rugby teams. The men's team competes in the Campeonato Português de Rugby, the first tier of rugby union in Portugal. In June 2014, the club refused the invitation to join the first division.[3] The women's team play in the Campeonato Nacional, the first tier, but recent changes in the competition mean they only compete in Sevens.
| Full name | Associação SLB Rugby | |
|---|---|---|
| Union | Portuguese Rugby Federation | |
| Founded | 4 October 1924 | |
| Location | Lisbon, Portugal | |
| Ground(s) | Lisbon University Stadium[1] | |
| Coach(es) | António Moura Dias Rassie van Vuura[2] | |
| League(s) | Campeonato Português de Rugby | |
| 2023–24 | Campeonato Português de Rugby, 3rd place | |
| ||
| Official website | ||
| www | ||
Benfica currently hold home games at the Lisbon University Stadium, while their youth teams play at the Pupilos do Exército, near Colégio Militar in Lisbon. Benfica hoped to secure a rugby field in Oeiras, in a 20-year rental, but the project never materialized. It was supposed to have a grass field capable of international matches, plus two synthetic fields for youth development, three football fields for Under-12, a 2,000 people stand and additional logistical support.[4]
Benfica once had a Portuguese international in their team, Diogo Gama, who represented Portugal at the 2007 World Cup.
Honours
editAccording to Benfica's official website[5]
Men's
edit- Winners (9): 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1969–70, 1975–76, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1990–91, 2000–01
- Winners (10): 1961, 1965, 1966, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1983, 1984, 1985[6]
- Winners (4): 1971, 1986, 1988, 2001
- Campeonato Regional de Lisboa
- Winners (12): 1931, 1936, 1937, 1939, 1942, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1954, 1955
- Taça de Honra da FPR
- Winners (3): 1949, 1950, 1966
Women's
edit- Winners (6): 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2023–24
- Winners (7): 2004–05, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12
- Supertaça
- Winner (8): 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016
- Campeonato Nacional de Sevens
- Winners (5): 2009–10, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16
- Taça de Portugal de Sevens
- Winners (3): 2014, 2014, 2016
Current squad
editAccording to Benfica's official website and Portuguese Rugby Federation[7][8]
| The Benfica squad for the 2023–24 TOP 10 season | ||
|---|---|---|
Props
Hookers
Locks
|
Backrow
Scrum-halves
Fly-halves
|
Centres
Wingers
Fullbacks
|
| (c) denotes the team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped players.
* denotes players qualified to play for Portugal on residency or dual nationality. | ||
References
edit- ^ "Base é agora no Estádio Universitário" [Base is now at the University Stadium]. S.L. Benfica (in Portuguese). 18 September 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
- ^ Rugby SL Benfica
- ^ "Rugby: Projecto do SL Benfica segue rumo sustentado". S.L. Benfica. 27 June 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
- ^ "Rugby em Oeiras" [Rugby in Oeiras]. CM Oeiras. 17 February 2009. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2012.
- ^ "Palmarés" [Honours]. S.L. Benfica. 7 August 2012. Archived from the original on 29 June 2016.
- ^ Palmarés da Taça de Portugal de râguebi Record (in Portuguese)
- ^ "Squad in official website".
- ^ "Registered players on FPR".
External links
edit- Official website
(in Portuguese, English, Spanish, and French)
