Latin Heat Rugby League

Latin Heat

Nickname	The Heat
Region	Central & South America
Head coach	Robert Burgin & Gabe Keegan
Captain	Jye Sommers & Jonathan Espinoza
Home stadium	N/A

The Latin Heat Rugby League is an Australian-based rugby league team focused on providing people of Central and South American residency or heritage a chance to play international rugby league and also help kick-start competitions in each individual Central and South American nation.

Latin Heat Rugby League Jersey

History

The main individual who founded the Latin Heat team was Robert Burgin. While travelling around South America in 2012, he showed rugby league videos to local Brazilians who seemed intrigued with the sport. From there he came up with the idea of South Americans becoming involved in rugby league.

The next year (2013), back in Australia, he started looking for individuals and sponsors to get interested in a South American rugby league team. After months of organising, the Latin Heat name and logo was decided on and they also secured numerous sponsors such as Guzman y Gomez, Rumba Latina and Gringo Magazine.

The Latin Heat made their debut in a small suburban 9s tournament in Brisbane on 21 September 2013. The squad included a lot of non-Latin players; however, six players who played in the tournament were of Latin/Central and South American origin.

The Latin Heat experienced their first international match on the Gold Coast on 18 January 2014. They lost to the Philippines 114-0; however, this was their first full-blooded 13-a-side match and the full 17 players were of Latin American heritage.

They then entered the Cabramatta International Nines in Sydney on 2 February 2014. Former USA Tomahawk and 2013 World Cup participant Kristian Freed was a guest player for the Latin Heat squad in the tournament.

After losses to the Philippines and Portugal, they recorded their first international victory against Japan 22-8. They were eliminated, however, against the Greek national side 18-0 in the quarterfinals.

Their most recent international match was against the Thailand Stars, which ended in a 16-all draw after prop Jonathan Espinoza missed a penalty goal from in front at Windsor Sporting Complex in front of a 500-strong crowd. Ernie Tobar became the head coach of the team for the Thailand fixture.

The Latin Heat have not only improved on the field, but have improved their profile in the public as well. They have appeared in various newspapers and news websites in Sydney and Brisbane and also on the NRL, Fox Sports and Courier Mail websites. One Latin Heat player (Brandon Tobar) won Try of the Week on Channel 9's The Footy Show while playing for Penrith Juniors.

More players of Latin heritage have been identified for the team in New South Wales, Queensland, Perth, and Melbourne.

2014 squad

The following list comprises players who are in the Latin Heat representative squad for the 2014 season.

Results

21 September 2013 – Mitchelton Nines, Brisbane: Latin Heat lost to Mitchelton Two 16-30 / Latin Heat lost to University of Queensland 10-36 / Latin Heat lost to Aspley 6-30 / Latin Heat lost to Mitchelton One 14-18)

18 January 2014 – Test versus Philippines, Runaway Bay: Latin Heat lost to Philippines Tamaraws 0-114.

1 February 2014 – Cabramatta International Nines, Sydney: Latin Heat lost to Portugal 6-18 / Latin Heat lost to Philippines Three 10-12 / Latin Heat defeated Japan 22-8 / Latin Heat lost to Greece 0-20.

1 June 2014 - Test versus Thailand, Windsor, NSW: Latin Heat drew with Thailand 16-16.^[1]

Benefits of the team and international exposure

Although an Australian-based organisation, the Latin Heat have helped promote rugby league to Central and South America. Both their international games against Philippines and Thailand were broadcast over the internet live. These were watched by people in Australia and in Central and South America. The team also has connections in several Central and South American nations such as Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and El Salvador, where there are efforts to help kick-start rugby league in each nation.

Mexico has started up rugby league and has a stable domestic competition consisting of four teams and 80 players. ^[2] The Latin Heat has helped increase Mexico Rugby League's international presence through social media and raising the profile of their organisation.

The Latin Heat brand has also expanded to the United States.^[3] This is an important move because over 52 million Americans are of Latin American heritage, which is not only beneficial for the Latin Heat team, but for international rugby league as well.

The Latin Heat are also attempting to send 1000 rugby league balls to key cities across South America in Spanish and Portuguese through the company Kickstarter.^[4] This is to help individuals in each nation who do not know rugby league to learn the game.

The team has also allowed players of Latin American origin to reconnect with their heritage. Players such as Jye Sommers, (captain of the Latin Heat and of Peruvian heritage) said that the Latin Heat has allowed him to appreciate and express his Latin American heritage.^[5]

As of 2015 Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Peru and Uruguay have all been able to field standalone teams in sevens or nines tournaments.

References

• "Honour Roll, Records & Results – Latin Heat Rugby League". latinheatrl.com. Retrieved 2014-05-11. 

External links

• "Honour Roll, Records & Results – Latin Heat Rugby League". latinheatrl.com. Retrieved 2014-05-11.