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LATIN American Rugby League is excited to announce a long-awaited game against Africa United, in an event that will highlight the humanitarian powers of the sport.
Fittingly former refugee Fredy Arteaga-Figueroa will coach the GYG Latino Development Squad against the Africans, many of whom come from refugee backgrounds themselves.
The match will take place at Liverpool All Saints at Liverpool in the west of Sydney, at 3pm on October 1– the day before the NRL Grand Final.
Latino players in this game will be chosen from those on the fringe of selection for Aaron Raper’s GYG Latin Heat Elite Squad, which plays the night before (Fri, Sept 30) against North America (CanAm Grizzlies) at St Mary’s.
“We wanted to hold an event with Africa United for several years now, as we have admiration for what they do and feel there are synergies with Latin Heat,” president Daniel Godinez said.
“Aside from both of us representing continents largely untouched by Rugby League in previous decades, there is the fact that families on both sides have escaped hardships.
“For those who have immigrated to Australia, Rugby League has given us a passion and a conduit to express our emotions and build friendships.
“Africa United may be our rivals on the field for one night, but in terms of what they are doing for the community, we believe we’re cut from the same cloth.”
Recent seasons have seen a number of African players knocking on the door for NRL selection, including St George Illawarra’s Yaw Kiti Glymin.
Wests Tigers’ Obed Karwhin, a native of Ivory Coast walked one month through jungle to escape war in his homeland and was later mentored by Africa United.
Bulldogs under 20s player Jayden Okunbar Parramatta’s Fairouz Elkander, and Melbourne Storm’s new recruit Chol Chol are others to come from an African upbringing.
Latin Heat Development coach Arteaga-Figueroa revealed in June how his family hid in the mountains of El Salvador during their bloody civil war.
He witnessed an uncle being shot in front of him in the living room of his house at age two and was then on the run until escaping El Salvador by hiding in the back of a pick-up truck.
In other games on the Latin Heat calendar, the Youth Squads (under 18s and under 16s) will both feature in NRL One Community events on Saturday, October 8 at St Mary’s Stadium & Kingsway Fields, St Mary’s.
Meanwhile, the individual nations of Latin America will contest the Latino Nines at Moorebank in Sydney on Saturday, October 22.
Plans are also being laid for an Introduction to Rugby League event in Brisbane on October 29, targeting the Brazilian, Colombian and El Salvadoran communities of Queensland.
http://www.latinheatrl.com/2016/09/...ans-and-americans-on-nrl-grand-final-weekend/
Fittingly former refugee Fredy Arteaga-Figueroa will coach the GYG Latino Development Squad against the Africans, many of whom come from refugee backgrounds themselves.
The match will take place at Liverpool All Saints at Liverpool in the west of Sydney, at 3pm on October 1– the day before the NRL Grand Final.
Latino players in this game will be chosen from those on the fringe of selection for Aaron Raper’s GYG Latin Heat Elite Squad, which plays the night before (Fri, Sept 30) against North America (CanAm Grizzlies) at St Mary’s.
“We wanted to hold an event with Africa United for several years now, as we have admiration for what they do and feel there are synergies with Latin Heat,” president Daniel Godinez said.
“Aside from both of us representing continents largely untouched by Rugby League in previous decades, there is the fact that families on both sides have escaped hardships.
“For those who have immigrated to Australia, Rugby League has given us a passion and a conduit to express our emotions and build friendships.
“Africa United may be our rivals on the field for one night, but in terms of what they are doing for the community, we believe we’re cut from the same cloth.”
Recent seasons have seen a number of African players knocking on the door for NRL selection, including St George Illawarra’s Yaw Kiti Glymin.
Wests Tigers’ Obed Karwhin, a native of Ivory Coast walked one month through jungle to escape war in his homeland and was later mentored by Africa United.
Bulldogs under 20s player Jayden Okunbar Parramatta’s Fairouz Elkander, and Melbourne Storm’s new recruit Chol Chol are others to come from an African upbringing.
Latin Heat Development coach Arteaga-Figueroa revealed in June how his family hid in the mountains of El Salvador during their bloody civil war.
He witnessed an uncle being shot in front of him in the living room of his house at age two and was then on the run until escaping El Salvador by hiding in the back of a pick-up truck.
In other games on the Latin Heat calendar, the Youth Squads (under 18s and under 16s) will both feature in NRL One Community events on Saturday, October 8 at St Mary’s Stadium & Kingsway Fields, St Mary’s.
Meanwhile, the individual nations of Latin America will contest the Latino Nines at Moorebank in Sydney on Saturday, October 22.
Plans are also being laid for an Introduction to Rugby League event in Brisbane on October 29, targeting the Brazilian, Colombian and El Salvadoran communities of Queensland.
http://www.latinheatrl.com/2016/09/...ans-and-americans-on-nrl-grand-final-weekend/
