Latin American Rugby League Results

[latingringo101]

Game 1: Ecuador 16 d Colombia 4
Game 2: Colombia 14 d Ecuador 8

Ecuador Rugby XIII! Campiones del Copa del Norte! (24-18)

Uruguay Rugby League has won it's first match against Peru and won the first Shield of the South.

Game 1: Uruguay 12 d Peru 10
Game 2: Uruguay 20 d Peru 12.
Winner Shield of the South: Uruguay (Aggregate 32-22)

Full Time

Chile 58 def El Salvador 20

 

[spinnerhowland]

Where were these games played?

 

[thorson1987]

nvm

 

[SJR]

They were played at Henson Park, Newtown in Sydney.

 

[spinnerhowland]

They were played at Henson Park, Newtown in Sydney.

Oh. The way it read I thought they were playing in South America. Latin Heat are going some good helping grow the game in South America, but its hard to take game for more than what they are, Aussie Heritage Players pulling on Jerseys for a few games.

I support their efforts for sure, and I know money is always the challenge putting on games in the actual countries they are promoting, but games played in Australia, with 99% of the teams all being heritage players, are tough to get behind when they refer to them as internationals.

 

[latingringo101]

Oh. The way it read I thought they were playing in South America. Latin Heat are going some good helping grow the game in South America, but its hard to take game for more than what they are, Aussie Heritage Players pulling on Jerseys for a few games.

I support their efforts for sure, and I know money is always the challenge putting on games in the actual countries they are promoting, but games played in Australia, with 99% of the teams all being heritage players, are tough to get behind when they refer to them as internationals.

We purposely chose to be based in Australia for two main reasons;

1. A lot of ex latin American Families and communities.

2, Professional set up of Rugby League in Australia.

By taking advantage of the two we've been able to help develop and field 6 independent Rugby League playing nations (ecuador, Peru, Chile, El Salvador, Uruguay and Colombia).

We've also helped start up competitions in Mexico, Chile, Argentina and Brazil.

The RLIF are aware of our efforts and are very happy with how we've helped foster the growth of Rugby League in Latin America.

Yes we are mainly Australian based, but there is REAL progress starting to make place in Central y Sur del America!

 

[Evil Homer]

We purposely chose to be based in Australia for two main reasons;

1. A lot of ex latin American Families and communities.

2, Professional set up of Rugby League in Australia.

By taking advantage of the two we've been able to help develop and field 6 independent Rugby League playing nations (ecuador, Peru, Chile, El Salvador, Uruguay and Colombia).

We've also helped start up competitions in Mexico, Chile, Argentina and Brazil.

The RLIF are aware of our efforts and are very happy with how we've helped foster the growth of Rugby League in Latin America.

Yes we are mainly Australian based, but there is REAL progress starting to make place in Central y Sur del America!

I don't think anyone is doubting or questioning the work of Latin Heat, just that it isn't really helpful to call these matches internationals. Mainly because there was a time that some of us on this forum can remember when 'international RL' was little more than a bunch of unsanctioned heritage blokes running around in Sydney, and it did the sport's credibility no favours at all (and continues to cause problems in Italy and Greece). Again, not trying to take away from the great work done by Latin Heat, just that it may be better and more appropriate to call these matches "heritage internationals" or describe the teams as "Chile Select" or "Australian Chile" or something, and save the full international billing for when they are actually playing legit internationals involving people based in those countries. I think your efforts would definitely be taken a lot more seriously if that was the case.

 

[spinnerhowland]

We purposely chose to be based in Australia for two main reasons;

1. A lot of ex latin American Families and communities.

2, Professional set up of Rugby League in Australia.

By taking advantage of the two we've been able to help develop and field 6 independent Rugby League playing nations (ecuador, Peru, Chile, El Salvador, Uruguay and Colombia).

We've also helped start up competitions in Mexico, Chile, Argentina and Brazil.

The RLIF are aware of our efforts and are very happy with how we've helped foster the growth of Rugby League in Latin America.

Yes we are mainly Australian based, but there is REAL progress starting to make place in Central y Sur del America!

Yes mate, I get all that. But the games played last weekend were not internationals. They were are bunch of Aussies pulling on Jerseys. You are doing good for the game growing small parts in South America, but these games are not internationals and should not be promoted as if they are.

 

[PaulyTom]

Latin heat are doing an amazing job. I think it's awesome and I have no problems them calling them internationals.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Did every player that played on the weekend qualify for those countries? If so, what makes it any different to any other national team playing an international, like Lebanon, Scotland, Cook Islands or Italy for example?

The only difference seems to be that those countries don't necessarily have their own governing body and may not have any actual domestic scene. But even if they did, none of that would change the makeup of these teams. If you run a sport that has no standards, ignores its own rules and allows heritage teams to completely replace legitimate teams you can't really complain about these games being called internationals. And quite frankly no one would be complaining of it wasn't "Australian" teams playing in Australia.

 

[Evil Homer]

Did every player that played on the weekend qualify for those countries? If so, what makes it any different to any other national team playing an international, like Lebanon, Scotland, Cook Islands or Italy for example?

The only difference seems to be that those countries don't necessarily have their own governing body and may not have any actual domestic scene.

Yes, that is the difference, and it's a pretty big one. I live in a town full of Eastern European immigrants, I'm pretty sure if I tried hard enough I could find 13 blokes of Polish descent and 13 blokes of Latvian descent and get them to play RL against each other, and there you go, an 'international'. Except it isn't, because to stage a legit international and organize legit international teams takes a lot more than just gathering a bunch of blokes representing a certain place and getting them to pull on a jersey for a one-off match. If the governing bodes from places like Scotland and Cook Islands want to fill their teams with heritage players then that's their choice, but that's totally different to an 'international team' representing a country where there is no RL presence and which is entirely run and comprised of people from a different country. Ownership of the Polish/Latvia/whatever national team belongs to the people developing the sport in that country, not some random guy overseas.

Again, I'm not trying to take away from Latin Heat here, I know their intention is to develop the sport in the countries themselves and stirring interest in the Latino communities in Australia is definitely an admirable and worthwhile exercise. I just think it would be better if they didn't bill them as international matches when they clearly aren't.

And quite frankly no one would be complaining of it wasn't "Australian" teams playing in Australia.

Nobody else does this. The closest thing would probably be the British Asian Rugby Federation in the UK, but they don't bill themselves as a national team.

 

[spinnerhowland]

Did every player that played on the weekend qualify for those countries? If so, what makes it any different to any other national team playing an international, like Lebanon, Scotland, Cook Islands or Italy for example?

The only difference seems to be that those countries don't necessarily have their own governing body and may not have any actual domestic scene. But even if they did, none of that would change the makeup of these teams. If you run a sport that has no standards, ignores its own rules and allows heritage teams to completely replace legitimate teams you can't really complain about these games being called internationals. And quite frankly no one would be complaining of it wasn't "Australian" teams playing in Australia.

And that sums up the overall attitude of most Australia Rugby League fans. In a nation that has lots of dollars for the sport, and cares little about those spending TENS OF THOUSANDS of their own money to grow the game in developing nations.

It is again that attitude that will allow 80% of all players in the 2017 World Cup to be born in only 3 counties. Aus/NZ/Eng. The same percentage that it was for the 2013 World Cup. 80% of players born in 3 nations, representing 14.

LH are doing some great things to try and grow the game in South America, but I am not sure that any of them have any actual official RLIF Status at the moment.

Yep, we all need to start somewhere, and LH are doing that, but more must be done to educate the "Average Fan" of WHAT needs to be done if RL is to become global.

I congratulate LH on their efforts, but using the word "International" for every team running around in a set of Jerseys, is counter productive to the importance of Global Growth.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Sending 17 blokes out in international jerseys who have little or even no real connection to that country is exactly what the world cup will be. And that's supposed to be the pinnacle of international rugby league. Yet people are having a go at these games as if they are somehow different.

f**king Scotland is not only playing in the four nations but walked into the world cup without having to qualify. "But but but they have a governing body". Bullshit. They have one club. That's not a sport. That's a club. The reality is several of the countries playing in the world cup won't even meet the minimum standards supposedly required to enter the qualifying. And many more will just be 17 blokes wearing a set of jerseys who aren't really from those countries. That's not some low key games in a suburban ground. That's the world cup!

If the sport has no standards it can't complain about anything that goes on under the banner of international rugby league.

 

[latingringo101]

Just a few things i wanted to address from the comments i've seen.

1. Our game we organised between El Salvador and Chile was done under RLIF Rules & Regulations (including the shortened versions of Ecuador vs Colombia & Uruguay vs Peru). We let the RLIF know of ALL of our actions, DOUBLE CHECKED EVERYTHING for their satisfaction and they promoted us on their Facebook page as an "International Match" so they must have been happy with how things were run on the day.

2. ALL of our players are RLIF QUALIFIED for ALL of our nations under RLIF rules for playing for a national team. (This also included the teams who played BEFORE the El Salvador vs Chile international match.

3. Also most of them can speak their mother tongue language and have been back to their home nation once or twice in their lives.

Some of our players also have been born in Latin America and forced to flee dictatorships (especially in places like Chile and El Salvador) and still have families in their home nations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaR5msBqAOg

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...l/news-story/96d0c5d24a00fee44deca7fbbfcad6df

Click the above links to view just a FEW of MANY stories some of our players have been through!

Also for those players who qualify via Grandparents/Parents, it has helped those players figure out who they are and more about themselves.

4. Our goal (which has ALWAYS been the case from the start) was to help BEGIN Rugby League IN LATIN AMERICA! Yes, there are groups who CLAIM to be a certain group and represent a nation or region and do NOTHING for the game back home, WE ARE NOT LIKE THAT!!!!


- We have engaged NUMEROUS Government, Rugby League (NRL & RLIF) and Global agencies to PHYSICALLY start the sport in the home nations.

- We've had delegates and officials from the governments of Colombia, El Salvador, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico and Uruguay come and attend our games.

- We've sent donations, balls, equipment and kits to Latin America and helped aid basic necessities for the game over in Latin America.

5. We KNOW we are Australian based, but that DOES NOT mean that we AREN'T as determined to BEGIN RUGBY LEAGUE on LATIN AMERICAN SOIL!

And ALL our players, staff and volunteers are 100% DETERMINED and PROUD to help Latinos play Rugby League and represent their HERITAGE AND IDENTITY!!!

 

[spinnerhowland]

Just a few things i wanted to address from the comments i've seen.

1. Our game we organised between El Salvador and Chile was done under RLIF Rules & Regulations (including the shortened versions of Ecuador vs Colombia & Uruguay vs Peru). We let the RLIF know of ALL of our actions, DOUBLE CHECKED EVERYTHING for their satisfaction and they promoted us on their Facebook page as an "International Match" so they must have been happy with how things were run on the day.

2. ALL of our players are RLIF QUALIFIED for ALL of our nations under RLIF rules for playing for a national team. (This also included the teams who played BEFORE the El Salvador vs Chile international match.

3. Also most of them can speak their mother tongue language and have been back to their home nation once or twice in their lives.

Some of our players also have been born in Latin America and forced to flee dictatorships (especially in places like Chile and El Salvador) and still have families in their home nations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaR5msBqAOg

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...l/news-story/96d0c5d24a00fee44deca7fbbfcad6df

Click the above links to view just a FEW of MANY stories some of our players have been through!

Also for those players who qualify via Grandparents/Parents, it has helped those players figure out who they are and more about themselves.

4. Our goal (which has ALWAYS been the case from the start) was to help BEGIN Rugby League IN LATIN AMERICA! Yes, there are groups who CLAIM to be a certain group and represent a nation or region and do NOTHING for the game back home, WE ARE NOT LIKE THAT!!!!


- We have engaged NUMEROUS Government, Rugby League (NRL & RLIF) and Global agencies to PHYSICALLY start the sport in the home nations.

- We've had delegates and officials from the governments of Colombia, El Salvador, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico and Uruguay come and attend our games.

- We've sent donations, balls, equipment and kits to Latin America and helped aid basic necessities for the game over in Latin America.

5. We KNOW we are Australian based, but that DOES NOT mean that we AREN'T as determined to BEGIN RUGBY LEAGUE on LATIN AMERICAN SOIL!

And ALL our players, staff and volunteers are 100% DETERMINED and PROUD to help Latinos play Rugby League and represent their HERITAGE AND IDENTITY!!!

Yes mate, you are all doing a great job. But the games are tough to call internationals, when there the nations are a long way from meeting any level of RLIF membership. It is diluting the idea of Internationals being truly expansive for the sport.

If RL does not change the way it thinks on the global scale, we have already seen the biggest it will ever be. Sad, but true.

 

[spinnerhowland]

Sending 17 blokes out in international jerseys who have little or even no real connection to that country is exactly what the world cup will be. And that's supposed to be the pinnacle of international rugby league. Yet people are having a go at these games as if they are somehow different.

f**king Scotland is not only playing in the four nations but walked into the world cup without having to qualify. "But but but they have a governing body". Bullshit. They have one club. That's not a sport. That's a club. The reality is several of the countries playing in the world cup won't even meet the minimum standards supposedly required to enter the qualifying. And many more will just be 17 blokes wearing a set of jerseys who aren't really from those countries. That's not some low key games in a suburban ground. That's the world cup!

If the sport has no standards it can't complain about anything that goes on under the banner of international rugby league.

And I for one, have been having email communication with both David Collier, and Nigel Woods, on changing rules for eligibility. And they do see the issues, but some nations are against change. I have made my thoughts, and the conversations I have had with many others in the Emerging Nations, clear. And the Grandparent rule needs to be lowered to Parents.
Believe it or not, they both have a very good understanding of what needs to "start to happen", but are yet to be able to find a consistence from member nations on that can happen.
I personally think they are headed in the right direction with their mindset

 

[Big Picture]

And I for one, have been having email communication with both David Collier, and Nigel Woods, on changing rules for eligibility. And they do see the issues, but some nations are against change. I have made my thoughts, and the conversations I have had with many others in the Emerging Nations, clear. And the Grandparent rule needs to be lowered to Parents.
Believe it or not, they both have a very good understanding of what needs to "start to happen", but are yet to be able to find a consistence from member nations on that can happen.
I personally think they are headed in the right direction with their mindset

Not only should the Grandparent rule be changed back to Parents, there should be a limit on how many players in a team's roster can qualify that way and it should not be more than half, so for example 12 out of 25 named for a tournament. A handful are OK, a team full is not.

 

[latingringo101]

And I for one, have been having email communication with both David Collier, and Nigel Woods, on changing rules for eligibility. And they do see the issues, but some nations are against change. I have made my thoughts, and the conversations I have had with many others in the Emerging Nations, clear. And the Grandparent rule needs to be lowered to Parents.
Believe it or not, they both have a very good understanding of what needs to "start to happen", but are yet to be able to find a consistence from member nations on that can happen.
I personally think they are headed in the right direction with their mindset

We've got a few players who's grand parents came to Australia from South America and are VERY PROUD of what they did for them.

Also by representing their heritage they've discovered more about themselves and where their family came from.

Yes in the past (and even today) people use the grandparent rule for the wrong reasons in order to play for a nation, however i think the RIGHT way to bring a bit of legitimacy to it is to FORCE players to choose 1 NATION and stick with it once they play for that Nation in;

1. an open aged RLIF sanctioned tournament (Americas/European Cup etc) or

2. World Cup qualifier or World Cup itself.

 

[adamkungl]

I don't have major issues with the grandparent rule, if other changes are made. Take it or leave it, but I don't think it's the source of our biggest problems here.

I think with a domestic player quota in sanctioned Test, Qualifier, and WC matches we avoid most of the problems associated with 'ring-in' sides.
And as I've said before, 1 Nation per WC cycle rather than 1 Nation for life, at this stage.

RL is in a unique, growing position. There are huge gaps in quality between different levels and lots of new growth areas popping up. Some compromises and balances are necessary.

 

[spinnerhowland]

For any game to be considered an international, it must contain a certain number of Domestic Registered Players from a nation (50% would be great). And I still believe the Grandparent rule needs to go away. It is way too loose, and allows, and then encourages, use of players who have literally done nothing for the domestic growth of RL, other than putting their hand up when a chance at a world cup spot comes around. This coming world cup, there will be some players representing nations that have actually never set foot in.