Glendale Merlins

Glendale Merlins
Full name Glendale Merlins
Nickname(s) Merlins
Location Glendale, Denver, CO
Ground(s) Infinity Park (Capacity: 5,000)
President Scott Smith
Coach(es) Luke Gross & Kittery Wagner
Captain(s) Zach Fenoglio & Sarah Chobot
League(s) Red River Rugby Conference & Women's Premier League
2015 (women) Champions
1st kit
2nd kit
Official website
www.glendalemerlins.com

Glendale Merlins is a rugby club based in the Glendale suburb of Denver, Colorado. The teams plays at Infinity Park.

The women's squad advanced from USA Rugby's Division I into the Women's Premier League in 2012. They placed 3rd in 2013, and won back-to-back national championships in 2014 and 2015.

The men's squad won the 2011 Division I Championship. The men's squad were 2014 Runners-up in the inaugural season of the Pacific Rugby Premiership losing to the San Francisco Golden Gate RFC 39-38 on the last play. They then were 2015 Pacific Rugby Premiership Champions, defeating the San Francisco Golden Gate 25-11. They repeated the feat in 2016, winning the Pacific Rugby Premiership title 44-20 again against the San Francisco Golden Gate with all Championship matches being played at their home field at Infinity Park.

In 2017, the club changed their mascot from the Raptor to the Merlin, with all teams in the club transitioning to the new brand by the inaugural season of Major League Rugby.

Squad

Five of Glendale's women's players - props Jamie Burke, Sarah Chobot, Sarah Wilson, hooker Kittery Wagner, and flyhalf Hannah Stolba - represented the U.S. team for the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup.

Two of Glendale's men's players — hooker Zach Fenoglio and scrum half Niku Kruger — were named to the U.S. team for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

Additionally, Iniki Fa'amusili played for the US U-20 national team that won the 2012 IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy held in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Three of Glendale's men's players represented the US national team at the 2011 Rugby World Cup: James Paterson, Nese Malifa, and Nic Johnson.

Men's Playing 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
Zach Fenoglio Hooker United States United States
Kelepi Fifita Prop United States United States
Nick Kwasniewski Prop United States United States
Luke White* Prop Australia Australia
Ben Landry Lock United States United States
Casey Rock Lock United States United States
Connor Cook Flanker United States United States
John Quill Flanker United States United States
Brian Wanless Flanker United States United States
Zac Pauga Number 8 United States United States
Player Position Union
Nick Boyer Scrum-half United States United States
Shaun Davies Scrum-half United States United States
Will Magie Fly-half United States United States
Bryce Campbell Centre United States United States
Chad London Centre United States United States
Ata Malifa Centre United States United States
Dustin Croy Wing United States United States
Seth Halliman Wing United States United States
John Ryberg Wing United States United States
Maximo de Achaval Fullback United States United States
Armandt Peens* Fullback South Africa South Africa
  • Internationally capped players in bold
  • Players qualified to play for United States on dual nationality or residency grounds*

Notable former players

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
Jamie Burke Prop United States United States
Nic Johnson Number 8 United States United States

See also

References

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