Trident (Miami) Rugby Football Club

The Trident Rugby Football Club is a Miami, Florida based men's rugby union team. Since its founding in 1972,[1] Trident has been one of the preeminent Miami rugby club. Admitted in 1973, Trident competes within the Florida Rugby Union and currently fields a competitive top division team as well as a developmental team. In 2024 the Miami Trident's joined the American Rugby Premiership, which is the top Club Rugby competition in the US.

Trident RFC
Full nameTrident Rugby Football Club
UnionUSA Rugby
Nickname(s)Tridents
Founded1972; 52 years ago (1972)
LocationMiami, FL
Ground(s)Athalie Range Park
PresidentTrinidad and Tobago Jose Bermudez
Coach(es)GreeceDimitri Efthimiou
Captain(s)Argentina Fede Torres García
League(s)Florida Rugby Union, Premier Division
Official website
www.miamitridentsrugby.com

Following an undefeated 2015/16 regular season, winning by an average margin of 30 points per game (a Florida Rugby Record),[citation needed] the Tridents entered the Florida Rugby Playoffs as the top seed. A 72-10 semifinal win over Jacksonville secured the Tridents a berth in the State Finals against Naples RFC. On April 16, at the state rugby championship in Wellington, FL, the Tridents defeated Naples 28 to 0 to become the State of Florida Top Division Champions. Since then the Tridents have gone on to win consecutive back to back Championships in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021 in the Florida Premier Division.

History

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The Trident Rugby Football Club was founded in 1972, by a group of players from the University of Miami Men's Rugby club. The UM rugby club, formed three years earlier, had grown too large, and the lack of playing time prompted these players to meet in 1972 to establish their own, independent club; Trident RFC.

The Tridents' first match was in the summer of 1973 against the rugby team of HMS Ark Royal, a warship of the Royal Navy that regularly called at the Port of Miami. The Tridents lost the contest 0 to 15. That same autumn, the Tridents played in their first divisional match, a winning effort against Naples RFC. Subsequently, the Tridents lost their second divisional fixture to UM RFC and ended their inaugural season 1-1.

On Wednesday, September 7, 2016, the Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez alongside Commissioner Jose "Pepe" Diaz recognized the team following an undefeated season by proclaiming September 7 "Trident Rugby Football Club Day" in Miami-Dade County. A great honor that was followed by the first ever lineout performed inside City Hall.

2024 DII Men's National Champions. The Tridents defeated Oceanside Chiefs 38-10 in the Championship Match held in Round Rock Texas. This was the second trip to the National Championship final 4, and the first national title for the Miami Tridents. MVP of the match was #10 Fran Perello.

Today, the Tridents continue to play rugby in Miami as a member of the Florida Rugby Union.

Tours

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Bahamas - 1978[2]

Practices

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During regular season, usually October through April, practices are held at Athalie Range Park in the City of Miami Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:30PM – 9:30 PM.

Matches

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Home matches are typically played on Saturdays at 2pm throughout autumn, winter, and spring. A current schedule of matches is published on the club's website.

Sponsors

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The Tridents Sponsorship List

South Florida ENT Associates

KE & S LATAM Business Law

Golod Group

CREI Holdings

Weller Yatchs

The AuldDubliner

2020/21 1st XV squad

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Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.

Player Position Union
Miguel Pena Hooker   United States
Pat Smith Hooker   United States
German Jalil Prop   Argentina
Carlos Barreno Prop   United States
Patrick Maignan Prop   United States
Rafael "Manotas" Serrano Lock   Colombia
John Kessenich Lock   United States
Philippe Ryser Flanker   Chile
John Bradlies Flanker   Scotland
Marc Mulet Flanker   Spain
Nicolai Mojica Flanker   United States
Manuel Krause Number 8   Argentina
Federico Torres Garcia (c) Fly-half   Argentina
Cyrill Becker Scrum-half   France
Mauro Pettenari Scrum-half   Argentina
Damien Clemente Centre   France
Tom Hultgren Centre   United States
Connie Bulgarides Centre   Greece
Nicholas Argy Wing   United States
Hiroshi Otani Wing   Japan
Juan David Cuesta Ruiz Wing   Colombia
Dan "Skinny Pat" Smith Wing   United States
Lucho Lagomarsino Wing   Uruguay
Lucas Wagner Wing   France
Seth Fatah Wing   Philippines
Connor Christie Fullback   Wales
Jacques Giraudet de Boudemange Fullback   France
Pablo Reynoso de Mare Fullback   Brazil

References

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  1. ^ Poljack, Diane (16 Sep 1976). "A different kind of football". The Miami News. pp. 3 PS, 11PS.
  2. ^ "Rugby". The Miami News. 16 Mar 1978. p. 7PS.
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