# 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 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'.

## 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 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. 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.
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. Tel Aviv Heat have withdrawn from the 2024 competition due to ″various logistical elements″.

### Wins against Tier 1 pro teams

After the pool stage of the 2022 Rugby Europe Super Cup, Tel Aviv Heat played a friendly against the English Premiership side Saracens.
* 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
Team details :
| 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 ||

## Players
### Current squad

| Tel Aviv Heat for 2023 Rugby Europe Super Cup squad |
| Props Mhleli Dlamini Wiehahn Herbst Thabiso Mdletshe Caylib Oosthuizen Nitzan Reizel Justin Theys Jared Michael Sichel Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi Hookers Nazir Gasanov McMillan Muller Dameon Venter Locks Misha Eli Max Katjijeko Yotam Shulman Jurie van Vuuren | Back row Thomas Berman Mitchell Carstens Yiftach Engel Prince ǃGaoseb (c) Semi Kunatani Cal Smid Jasa Veremalua Scrum-halves Omer Levinson Niall Saunders Bradley Thain Gilad Vardi Fly-halves Jordan Chait | Centres Richard Bryant Nemani Buliruarua Idan Eisenberg Jone Manu Matt More Wings Ori Abutbul Peceli Nacebe Jamba Ulengo Gerswin Mouton Fullbacks 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
#### 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
** Runner-up: (2) 2022, 2023

### Friendly and Sevens

* Rugby Town Sevens Plate
** Runner-up: 2023