Julio Cesar Giraldo

Giraldo was born in Medellin, Colombia.[https://www.elcolombiano.com/deportes/otros-deportes/el-emperador-julio-cesar-llega-al-rugby-de-ee-uu-BF12424746 "El emperador Julio César llega a EE. UU."], El Colombiano, February 8, 2020. He began playing and developed as a rugby player at the Caporos Rugby club in Monteria-Colombia.[https://espndeportes.espn.com/rugby/nota/_/id/6609737/el-colombiano-giraldo-jugara-en-la-liga-de-estados-unidos "El colombiano Giraldo jugará en la liga de Estados Unidos"], ESPN Deportes, February 6, 2020. He joined the club in 2011 and quickly earned a spot on the first team. He had several outstanding performances, and continued playing for his hometown club throughout 2014.{{Citation needed|date=August 2020}}

Giraldo moved to the United States on February 9, 2015, at the age of 19, joining Old Blue RFC. Despite having several performances in the D2 side, he was only selected once for the first team. In the summer of 2015, he played rugby league for the New York Knights of the USARL, where he suffered his first major injury.

In September 2017, after two years in the United States, Giraldo traveled to France and joined Tec Electrogaz Rugby{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Rugby news|url=https://www.tec-rugby.fr/|access-date=|website=Tec-rugby}} in Promotion Honneur{{Cite web|date=2020-06-16|title=Actualités rugby Promotion Honneur - Championnat Territorial 2019/2020 - Compétitions FFR|url=https://competitions.ffr.fr/competitions/ile-de-france-promotion-honneur-championnat-territorial/infos.html|access-date=2020-06-16|website=Compétitions - FFR|language=fr}} (the seventh division of France). He earned a trial at Clamart 92,{{Cite web|title=Club de Rugby Clamart 92-sport enfant école de rugby-Ile de France-Paris|url=http://clamartrugby92.fr/|access-date=2020-06-16|website=Clamart Rugby 92 Ecole de Rugby - Club de rugby du 92, Ile de France|language=fr-FR}} where he was selected for the team and played in Federal 2 until May 2018.

In 2018, Giraldo went back to the United States due to his new immigration status and rejoined his two former clubs. He did not compete consistently during the rest of 2018. In 2019, he gained a lot of first-team action. The fall season of 2019 was one of Giraldo's best seasons. Despite several injuries (pulled hamstring, bruised shoulder, clavicle fissure, bruised finger tendon) and not being recovered 100%, he managed to perform at a high level.{{Citation needed|date=August 2020}}

Giraldo was offered a one-month trial in December 2019 by coach Greg McWilliams{{Cite web|title=Rugby United New York Announces Head Coach|url=https://www.rugbyunitedny.com/news/newheadcoach-2/|access-date=2020-06-16|website=Rugby United NY|language=en-US}} at Rugby United New York. In January, he was asked to remain with the training squad for a month. After 60 days of training and two preseason games, he was offered his first professional contract,{{Cite web|date=2020-02-05|title=Rugby United New York Adds Julio Cesar Giraldo|url=http://djcoilrugby.com/2020/02/05/rugby-united-new-york-julio-giraldo/|access-date=2020-06-16|website=djcoilrugby|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.rugbyunitedny.com/news/giraldosigning/|title = RUNY Signs Julio Cesar Giraldo from Practice Squad}} becoming the first Colombian player to make it to MLR[https://elnuevosiglo.com.co/articulos/02-2020-2020-un-ano-frenetico-para-el-rugby-colombiano "2020 un año frenético para el rugby colombiano"], El Nuevo Siglo, February 9, 2020.{{Cite web|date=2020-02-05|title=Colombian flanker Julio Giraldo set to make MLR history|url=http://www.americasrugbynews.com/2020/02/05/colombian-flanker-julio-giraldo-set-to-make-mlr-history/|access-date=2020-06-16|website=Americas Rugby News|language=en-US}} and the second player to play professionally in Colombian rugby history, as well as joining players such as Ben Foden, Mathieu Bastareaud, Dylan Fawsitt, Cathal Marsh, Nate Brakeley, Connor Wallace-Sims, and Paddy Ryan.

Giraldo made his professional rugby debut for Rugby United New York on February 9, 2020, in the first week of the MLR against the New England Free Jacks at Sam Boyd stadium in Las Vegas.{{Cite web|date=2020-02-08|title=MLR Preview – New England Free Jacks vs Rugby United New York|url=https://www.americasrugbynews.com/2020/02/08/mlr-preview-new-england-free-jacks-vs-rugby-united-new-york/|access-date=2020-06-16|website=Americas Rugby News|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2020-02-10|title=Free Jacks stun RUNY in Las Vegas|url=http://www.americasrugbynews.com/2020/02/09/free-jacks-stun-runy-in-las-vegas/|access-date=2020-06-16|website=Americas Rugby News|language=en-US}} He came in from the bench in the first half, replacing an injured Trevor Cassidy.{{Cite web|title=Trevor Cassidy|url=https://www.rugbyunitedny.com/our-team/trevor-cassidy/|access-date=2020-06-16|website=Rugby United NY|language=en-US}} He played 43 minutes, attempting eight tackles with a 100% finishing rate, and also got two turnovers.

Giraldo represented the "Los Tucanes" Colombia under-18 side from 2011-2013, gaining several caps, including a match against Brazil where he scored a try.[https://www.colombiasports.net/polideportivo/respeto-julio-cesar-giraldo-un-sueno-a-medias-en-el-rugby-profesional-de-estados-unidos "RESPETO: JULIO CÉSAR GIRALDO, UN SUEÑO A MEDIAS EN EL RUGBY PROFESIONAL DE ESTADOS UNIDOS"], ColombiaSports.net, Andres Castro, March 21, 2020. He was also, at the time, the first and only player from a club from the Caribbean coast to make it to the squad.{{Citation needed|date=August 2020}} He was selected for Los Tucanes, the Colombian national under-18 side, where he played from 2011 to 2013.{{Cite web|date=2011-08-03|title=Jugador cordobés en la selección de Rugby de Colombia|url=https://www.eluniversal.com.co/deportes/jugador-cordobes-en-la-seleccion-de-rugby-de-colombia-36655-CQEU116136|access-date=2020-06-16|website=www.eluniversal.com.co|language=ES-es}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.espn.com.ar/rugby/nota/_/id/6609737/el-colombiano-giraldo-jugara-en-la-liga-de-estados-unidos?ex_cid=FB_Scrum ESPN article about Julio]
• [https://www.facebook.com/152611774759420/posts/2970745036279399/ Colombia national team announcement about Julio]
• [https://open.spotify.com/episode/6tfcNxN23VQmIRRlSf1upE?si=k3i3vClZT5Syt6vwcLElkg Radio program with Julio as guest]
• [https://www.lalenguacaribe.co/2020/deportes/haciendo-historia-el-monteriano-julio-giraldo-sera-el-primer-colombiano-en-jugar-en-la-mlr-de-estados-unidos/ Colombia news papers La lengua article about Julio]
• [https://djcoilrugby.com/2020/02/05/rugby-united-new-york-julio-giraldo/ Doug Coil article about Julio]
• [http://www.portaldorugby.com.br/noticias/colombiano-jogara-a-major-league-rugby Portal do rugby article]
• [https://www.elcolombiano.com/deportes/otros-deportes/el-emperador-julio-cesar-llega-al-rugby-de-ee-uu-BF12424746 El Columbano News paper article about Julio]
• [https://m.en24.news/A/2020/02/emperor-julius-caesar-arrives-in-the-us-uu.html En24 news article about Julio]{{dead link|date=May 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
• [http://m.elnuevosiglo.com.co/articulos/02-2020-2020-un-ano-frenetico-para-el-rugby-colombiano?amp=1%3Futm_source%3Dfacebook El nuevo siglo mentioning Julio]
• [https://www.ultimaterugby.com/player/_/16744 Ultimate rugby Julio's player profile]
• [https://www.rugbyunitedny.com/our-team/julio-cesar-giraldo/ Rugby united New York Julio's player profile]
• [http://www.americasrugbynews.com/2020/02/05/colombian-flanker-julio-giraldo-set-to-make-mlr-history/ Americas rugby news article about Julio]
• [https://www.rugbyunitedny.com/news/giraldosigning/ Rugby United New York signing announcement]

__FORCETOC__

{{DEFAULTSORT:Giraldo, Julio Cesar}}

Category:1995 births

Category:Living people

Category:Colombian expatriate sportspeople in the United States

Category:Colombian rugby union players

Category:Expatriate rugby union players in the United States

Category:South American rugby union players

Category:Rugby New York players

Category:Sportspeople from Medellín