Results

Rugby Europe Super Cup 12/22 11:00 1 Black Lion v Tel Aviv Heat L 27-17
Rugby Europe Super Cup 12/02 11:30 - Tel Aviv Heat v Romanian Wolves W 31-6
Rugby Europe Super Cup 11/18 17:00 - Black Lion v Tel Aviv Heat L 29-27
Rugby Europe Super Cup 11/12 11:30 - Castilla y Leon Iberians v Tel Aviv Heat W 20-38
Rugby Europe Super Cup 11/04 15:00 - Lusitanos v Tel Aviv Heat W 23-31
Rugby Europe Super Cup 12/04 15:00 - Lusitanos v Tel Aviv Heat W 20-30
Priateľské zápasy 11/27 12:15 - Saracens v Tel Aviv Heat W 26-29
Rugby Europe Super Cup 09/24 11:00 - Batumi v Tel Aviv Heat L 19-11

Wikipedia - Tel Aviv Heat

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'.

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. 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.

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.

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. 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.

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 31', 55', 77' (3/4)
ReportTry: Sebastian Jobb 10' m 41' c, Niall Saunders 38' c, Sailasa Turaguluvu 63' c
Con: Jordan Chait 39', 41', 64' (3/4)
Pen: Jordan Chait 6' (1/1)
Cards: Semi Kunatani 72' to 82'
StoneX Stadum, London
FB 15 Jenson McInulty
RW 14 Charlie Reynolds-West
OC 13 Francis Moore
IC 12 Olly Hartley
LW 11 Tom Howe
FH 10 Tobias Elliott
SH 9 Charlie Bracken
N8 8 Jackson Wray (c)
OF 7 Samson Adejimi
BF 6 Andy Christie
RL 5 Alex Wardell
LL 4 Callum Hunter-Hill
TP 3 Alec Clarey
HK 2 Kapeli Pifeleti
LP 1 James Flynn
Replacements:
HK 16 James Isaacs
LP 17 Robin Hislop
TP 18 Harvey Beaton
LK 19 Obinna Nkwocha
LK 20 Max Eke
SH 21 Sam Bryan
BR 22 Nathan Michelow
SH 23 Declan Murphy
PR 24 Jevaughn Warren
LK 25 Kaden Pearce-Paul
WG 26 Will Sanders
Director of Rugby:
Mark McCall
FB 15 Sebastiaan Jobb
RW 14 Jamba Ulengo
OC 13 Jone Manu
IC 12 Idan Eisenberg
LW 11 Peceli Nacebe
FH 10 Jordan Chait
SH 9 Niall Saunders
N8 8 Semi Kunatani
OF 7 Cal Smid
BF 6 Prince !Gaoseb (c)
RL 5 Jurie Van Vuuren
LL 4 Max Katjijeko
TP 3 Wiehahn Herbst
HK 2 Dameon Venter
LP 1 Caylib Oosthuizen
Replacements:
HK 16 McMillan Muller
PR 17 Thabiso Mdletshe
PR 18 Mhleli Dlimani
LK 19 Sailasa Turagaluvu
BR 20 Jasa Veremalua
SH 21 Bradley Thain
CE 22 Nemani Buliruarua
WG 23 Ori Abutbul
BR 24 Thomas Berman
PR 25 Justin Theys
PR 26 Nitsan Reizel
SH 27 Omer Levinson
WG 28 Matt More
Coach:
Kevin Musikanth