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 competes annually in the Rugby Europe Super Cup. The team is also called the Israeli Springboks, on account of the number of South Africans that are in the team, however have also been described as 'the world's most diverse rugby team'.[1]
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| Founded | 2021 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Tel Aviv, Israel | ||
| Ground(s) | HaMoshava Stadium (Capacity: 11,500) | ||
| Chairman | Adi Raz | ||
| Coach(es) | Kevin Musikanth | ||
| Captain(s) | Prince ǃGaoseb | ||
| Top scorer | Jordan Chait (172) | ||
| League(s) | Rugby Europe Super Cup | ||
| 2023 | 2nd | ||
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| 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 | |||
History
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 place in the Eastern Conference of the competition, however due to the disqualification on Yenisey-STM, Tel Aviv Heat advanced to the semi-finals., going on to lose against 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 ingural Super Cup season. Tel Aviv came 2nd in the Eastern Conference winning four, drawing one and losing one. They one again faced the Lusitanos XV in the semi-finals, this time he Israeli side coming on top with a 22-30 win 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]
In May 2023 the Israeli side announced a new partnership with the French Top 14 club Stade Français where both teams will exchange training methods and organize friendly matches.[5][6]
In the 2023 Rugby Europe Super Cup, Tel Aviv Heat came runners-up in Group A, ruffling to stop playing due to the Israel-Hamas war playing all their games away.[1] Going on the win the semi-final clash against the Romanian Wolves 31-6 in Bucharest, once again featuring against he Black Lion in the final. The Georgian franchise winning 27-17 in Tbilisi.
Wins against Tier 1 pro teams
After the pool stage of the 2022 Rugby Europe Super Cup, Tel Aviv Heat played a friendly against English Premiership side Saracens.[7][8][9]
| 27 November 2022 12:15 (UTC) |
| Saracens | 26-29 | Tel 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' | Report | Try: 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  72' to 82' |
| StoneX Stadium, London |
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Players
Current Squad
| Tel Aviv Heat for 2023 Rugby Europe Super Cup squad | ||
|---|---|---|
Props
Hookers
Locks
| Back row
Scrum-halves
Fly-halves | Centres
Wings
Fullbacks
|
| (c) denotes the team captain, Bold denotes internationally capped players. * denotes players qualified to play for Israel on residency or dual nationality. |
Notable Players
Internationals
Semi Kunatani (2019 Rugby World Cup, 2016 Summer Olympics)
Nitzan Reizel- Jared Michael Sichel
- Misha Eli
- Yotam Shulman
- Yiftach Engel
- Omer Levinson
- Gilad Vardi
- Idan Eisenberg
- Ori Abutbul
- Yahel Rozilio
- Jared Sichel
- Mayaan Shaked
- Dan Stein
Prince !Gaoseb (2023 Rugby World Cup)- Max Katjijeko (2023 Rugby World Cup)
- Gerswin Mouton (2023 Rugby World Cup)
- Lesley Klim
- Renaldo Bothma
- Obert Nortje
Nazir Gasanov
Jamba Ulengo (2013 World Games)
Honours
Major Honours
- Rugby Europe Super Cup
- Runners-up: (2) 2022, 2023
Friendly and Sevens
- Rugby Town Sevens Plate
- Runners-up: 2023[10]