Juromenha Rugby Club, known as the "Barbos", will hold its debut in XV Rugby on Saturday, September 5th, at the Miguel Figueiredo Lérias Complex, in Alandroal, at 4:00 PM. The game also marks the first edition of the António Imperial Cup, a competition created by the club to pay tribute to António Imperial, a figure very close to the team since the beginning of the project, five years ago. Despite never having played rugby, António Imperial became a talisman for the club, accompanying players and officials at tournaments and tours, including a recent trip to Denmark.
The club began its activity linked to Beach Rugby and Rugby Sevens, formats that require fewer players. The growth of the group has now allowed them to advance to XV Rugby, a challenge that had been ambitioned for some time. For this debut, approximately 25 players have been called up, many of whom are returning to their home clubs after the end of the season. The date choice coincides with the Festas de Alandroal, in a strategy to bring rugby closer to a wider audience.
The opponent chosen for the first edition of the António Imperial Cup is Rugby Clube da Lousã, current champion of CN1, the second tier of Portuguese rugby. The choice revives a story of friendship between the two clubs: in 2013, players from Juromenha and Lousã formed a joint team at the II EVRA Festival in Hungary. Thirteen years later, the two clubs meet again, this time as opponents.
Paulo Jaleco, club president, revealed the intention to transform the António Imperial Cup into an annual event, inviting a different team each edition. After the game, the celebration will continue in Juromenha, in front of the club headquarters, described as the "museum" of the Barbos, where the 29-year history of Juromenha Rugby Club is preserved. Entry to the game is free and the bar will be open during the event.