Trident (Miami) Rugby Football Club

The Trident Rugby Football Club is a Miami, Florida based men's rugby union team. Since its founding in 1973, the Tridents have been the preeminent Miami rugby club. The Tridents compete within the Florida Rugby Union and currently field a competitive top division team as well as competitive second and developmental teams.

Trident RFC
Full nameTrident Rugby Football Club
UnionUSA Rugby
Nickname(s)Tridents
Founded1973 (1973)
LocationMiami, FL
Ground(s)Ben Franklin Park
President Jose Bermudez
Coach(es)Miguel Pena
Captain(s) Damien Clemente
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), 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, and 2019 in the Florida Premier Division.

History

The Trident Rugby Football Club was founded in 1973, by a group of players from the University of Miami Men’s Rugby club. The UM rugby club, formed four years earlier, had grown too large, and the lack of playing time prompted these players to meet in the spring of 1973 to establish their own, independent club; the Tridents.

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 7th "Trident Rugby Football Club Day" in Miami-Dade County. A great honor that was followed by the first ever lineout performed inside City Hall.

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

Practices

During regular season, usually October through April, practices are held at Ben Franklin Park in North Miami Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7PM.

Matches

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

The Tridents Sponsorship List

  • Social Sponsor - Gramps Wynwood
  • Social Sponsor - Heineken International

2015/16 1st XV squad

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player Position Union
Miguel Pena Hooker United States
Christopher Jewett Hooker United States
German Jimenez Prop Argentina
Neil Morvant Prop United States
Patrick Maignan Prop United States
Oliver Hire Lock England
John Kessenich Lock United States
Philippe Ryser Flanker Chile
Nicolai Mojica Flanker United States
Hein Erasmus (c) Number 8 South Africa
Josh Durbach Scrum-half New Zealand
Matthieu Burke Scrum-half France
Sean Murray Fly-half Ireland
Dimitri Efthimiou Centre Greece
Tom Hultgren Centre United States
Connie Bulgarides Centre Greece
Justin Kloppel Wing United States
Mitchell Hoffman Wing United States
Connor Christie Fullback Wales
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