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Tel Aviv Heat

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Tel Aviv Heat
Founded2021; 3 years ago (2021)
LocationTel Aviv, Israel
Ground(s)HaMoshava Stadium (Capacity: 11,500)
ChairmanAdi Raz
Coach(es)Kevin Musikanth
Captain(s)Prince ǃGaoseb
Top scorerJordan Chait (172)
League(s)Rugby Europe Super Cup
20232nd
1st kit
2nd kit
First match
Black Lion 33–10 Tel Aviv Heat
(16 October 2021)
Largest win
Tel Aviv Heat 55–5 Romanian Wolves
(30 October 2022)
Largest defeat
Naka Bulls 47–10 Tel Aviv Heat
(24 March 2022)
Official website
www.telavivheat.com

The Tel Aviv Heat (Hebrew: תל אביב היט, romanized: Tel Aviv Hit) is the first professional Israeli rugby union team. Based in Tel Aviv, the team competed annually in the Rugby Europe Super Cup until 2023. The team is also called the Israeli Springboks, on account of the number of South Africans in the team and have also been described as 'the world's most diverse rugby team'.[1]

History

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Tel Aviv Heat were formed in 2021 to play in the 2021–22 Rugby Europe Super Cup. The Rugby Europe Super Cup was open initially for the seven highest-ranked countries below the Six Nations, other Unions were given the opportunity to bid for an eighth ‘wild card’ slot, which the Israel Rugby Union submitted a formal bid for in December 2020. Having won that slot in March 2021, a founding team was put together to build a professional franchise from scratch.[2] Kevin Musikanth was named as the team’s first Director of Rugby and Head Coach for the inaugural season of the Rugby Europe Super Cup.

In their first season Tel Aviv finished 3rd in the Eastern Conference of the competition, however due to the disqualification on Yenisey-STM, Tel Aviv Heat advanced to the semi-finals, losing to the Western Conference winners Lusitanos XV, 42–26 in Lisbon.

In 2022 Tel Aviv began the season with a win over the Romanian Wolves in their inaugural Super Cup season. Tel Aviv came 2nd in the Eastern Conference winning four, drawing one and losing one. They once again faced the Lusitanos XV in the semi-final, this time winning 30–22 in Lisbon. However they lost against Black Lion in the final. In August 2022 Tel Aviv Heat were invited to join the South African Mzansi Challenge competition, however due to pressure from stakeholders SARU made the decision to withdraw their invitation in February 2023.[3][4] A partnership with the French Top 14 club Stade Français was announced in May 2023, where both teams exchange training methods and organize friendly matches.[5][6]

In the 2023 Rugby Europe Super Cup, Tel Aviv Heat were second in Group A, despite playing their games away from home due to the Israel–Hamas war and winning the semi-final against the Romanian Wolves 31–6 in Bucharest. Once again they played the Black Lion's in the final with the Georgian franchise winning 27–17 in Tbilisi.[1] Tel Aviv Heat have withdrawn from the 2024 competition due to ″various logistical elements″.[7]

Wins against Tier 1 pro teams

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After the pool stage of the 2022 Rugby Europe Super Cup, Tel Aviv Heat played a friendly against the English Premiership side Saracens.[8][9][10]

27 November 2022
12:15 (UTC)
Saracens26–29Tel Aviv Heat
Try: Andy Christie 30' c
Kapeli Pifeleti 54' c
Sam Bryan 76' c
Declan Murphy 80' m
Con: Tobias Elliott (3/4) 31', 55', 77'		ReportTry: Sebastian Jobb (2) 10' m, 41' c
Niall Saunders 38' c
Sailasa Turaguluvu 63' c
Con: Jordan Chait (3/4) 39', 41', 64'
Pen: Jordan Chait 6' (1/1)
Cards: Semi Kunatani yellow card 72' to 82'
StoneX Stadium, London

Players

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Current squad

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Tel Aviv Heat for 2023 Rugby Europe Super Cup squad

Props

Hookers

Locks

Back row

Scrum-halves

Fly-halves

Centres

  • South Africa Richard Bryant
  • Fiji Nemani Buliruarua
  • Israel Idan Eisenberg
  • Fiji Jone Manu
  • South Africa Matt More

Wings

Fullbacks

  • South Africa Sebastiaan Jobb
(c) denotes the team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped players.
* denotes players qualified to play for Israel on residency or dual nationality.

Notable players

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Internationals

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Honours

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Major honours

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Friendly and Sevens

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  • Rugby Town Sevens Plate

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Newboult, Colin (2023-11-10). "The rugby team ploughing on in the midst of the Israel-Hamas war". PlanetRugby. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  2. ^ Reporter, J. C. "Israel's only professional rugby team beat Saracens in Hendon". www.thejc.com. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  3. ^ "Tel Aviv Heat withdrawn from Mzansi Challenge". SA Rugby. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  4. ^ Algemeiner, The (2023-02-20). "Israeli Rugby Team Launches Program to Promote 'Respect and Inclusion' After South African BDS Campaign - Algemeiner.com". www.algemeiner.com. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  5. ^ Algemeiner, The (2023-05-24). "Israel's National Rugby Team Partners With French Club - Algemeiner.com Israel's National Rugby Team Partners With French Team to Arrange Friendly Matches, Share Tactics". www.algemeiner.com. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  6. ^ "HISTORIC PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN STADE FRANÇAIS PARIS & TEL AVIV HEAT". www.telavivheat.com. 24 May 2023. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  7. ^ "Rugby Europe Super Cup Returns for 2024". 11 August 2024.
  8. ^ HEAT, TEL AVIV (2022-11-26). "Tel Aviv Heat vs Saracens - GAME DAY INFORMATION". TelAvivHeat.com. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  9. ^ "TEAM NEWS | Saracens Men v Tel Aviv Heat - Saracens". Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  10. ^ "MATCH REPORT | Saracens Men 26-29 Tel Aviv Heat - Saracens". Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  11. ^ Strickler, Colton (2023-08-28). "USA U-23s Secure First RugbyTown 7s Title Since 2014". RugbyTown USA. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
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