S.L. Benfica (rugby union)

Benfica

Full name	Associação SLB Rugby
Union	Portuguese Rugby Federation
Founded	4 October 1924 (1924-10-04)
Location	Lisbon, Portugal
Ground(s)	Lisbon University Stadium
Coach(es)	António Moura Dias Rassie van Vuura
League(s)	Campeonato Português de Rugby
2023–24	Campeonato Português de Rugby, 3rd place
Team kit
Official website
www.slbenfica.pt/pt-pt/modalidades/rugby

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. The women's team play in the Campeonato Nacional, the first tier, but recent changes in the competition mean they only compete in Sevens.

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.

Benfica once had a Portuguese international in their team, Diogo Gama, who represented Portugal at the 2007 World Cup.

Honours

According to Benfica's official website

Men's

• Portuguese Championship

Winners (9): 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1969–70, 1975–76, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1990–91, 2000–01

• Portuguese Cup

Winners (10): 1961, 1965, 1966, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1983, 1984, 1985

• Iberian Cup

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

• Campeonato Nacional

Winners (6): 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2023–24

• Taça de Portugal

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

Current squad for 2024/25 season according to Portuguese Rugby Federation

The Benfica squad for the 2024–25 Campeonato Nacional de Rugby season
Props João Nobre Márcio Pinheiro André Antunes Isaías Camará Marco López Hookers Luan Almeida Jason Cornelius Pedro Gouveia Locks Volodymyr Grikh Lorenzo Palacio* Sérgio Moreira* Philippe Couto* Eurico Chichorro	Backrow Frederico Couto Thabang Mahlasi Giuseppe Piacenza Manuel Fati Frederico Silva Tomás Picado Pedro Ismael Tavares Rui Duarte Scrum-halves António Campos Reymond Dorian Tomás Boavida Francisco Russo Fly-halves José Rodrigues Facundo Rodriguez Santillan	Centres José Lima Hayden Hann Guilherme Vasconcelos Francisco Bessa Diogo Salgado Rodrigo Urzay Soares Wingers Edgar Monteiro José Miguel Carvalho Harrison Stock Diego Caeiro Diogo Custódio Felisbelo Vieira* Zyad Al Achouni* Fullbacks Elliott Ryan Rodrigo Sampaio
(c) denotes the team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped players. * denotes players qualified to play for Portugal on residency or dual nationality.

Previous squads

The Benfica squad for the 2023–24 TOP 10 season
Props Gavin Van den Berg Hugo Valente Barend Bezuidenhout Meli Sifa Márcio Pinheiro André Antunes Hookers Luan Almeida Jason Cornelius Pedro Gouveia Locks Felipe Rosa Adrian Hall Jaden Delport Fidel Vidal*	Backrow Vasco Baptista Frederico Couto Lorenzo Palacio* Frederico Silva Tomás Picado Pedro Ismael Tavares Scrum-halves Elliott Ryan Francisco Russo António Campos Tomás Boavida Fly-halves José Rodrigues	Centres Hayden Hann Matteo Colli Francisco Bessa Diogo Salgado Wingers Latrell Ah Kiong José Miguel Carvalho Harrison Stock António Valadares Diego Caeiro Rodrigo Sampaio Felisbelo Vieira* Noah Ménard Fullbacks Shane Van Rooyen
(c) denotes the team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped players. * denotes players qualified to play for Portugal on residency or dual nationality.

External links

• Official website (in Portuguese, English, Spanish, and French)