South American RL News

[Bronco Rob]

I thought I'd start up a thread dedicated to RL in a reasonably new frontier in the shape of South America. With the formation of the Latin Heat small hotspots of nations playing RL have emerged on the continent.

Recent article on Brazil:

Brazilian Rugby League 9s tournament in 2015

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http://www.nospam18.com/images/nations/Brazil-RL-SaoLourenco.jpg
By Matthew Brown, Date: 10/12/14
When people think of Brazil they generally think of sunshine, Copacabana Beach, Carnival, Samba, Capoeira and The Amazon. Sporting wise, Brazilians have been known for sports such as Football (soocer), Martial arts, Formula 1 and Volleyball. Other sports such as Rugby Union and Basketball are also popular sports. One sport which is trying to make its mark in the Latin Nation of over 200 million people is Rugby League
I have been in contact with one of the pioneers of Brazilian Rugby League, Hugo Froes. Hugo is from São Lourenço, Minas Gerais in South Eastern Brasil. Hugo, like other individuals based in Brazil are attempting to bring Rugby League to an unknown frontier (rugby league speaking). Currently there are three areas in Brasil where there are efforts to help start up the game, these are Sau Paulo, Minas Gerais and Espirito Santo. All three areas are located relatively close to each other (in the South East) when talking about the sheer size of Brazil.
The first major event taking place in Brazil is the Rugby League Brazil Cup 9s. This is a RL 9s tournament being organised in São Lourenço, Minas Gerais with teams being invited to participate from not only the 3 cities, but from all over Brazil. Hugo is hoping to get 8 male and 6 female teams playing in the tournament. The main aim of this tournament is to bring regular Rugby League activity to Brazil.
The Latin Heat has helped create contacts in Brazil (such as Hugo) to assist the game over there. In the following weblink a Facebook group has been created to help support the game in Brazil.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/782935285052762/
If you are interested or know anyone who would be interested in helping to grow the 13 player code in Brazil, share the group or become involved.

http://www.nospam18.com/rlp-nations/brazil/2123-brazilian-rugby-league-9s-tournament-in-2015

 

[Bronco Rob]

Can the powers that be please change the spelling in the thread title?? Fat fingers!

 

[miguel de cervantes]

A tid bit on Brazil:

http://www.portaldorugby.com.br/noticia/25-brasil/10261-brasil-no-mapa-do-league-mundial

O Rugby League apenas engatinha no Brasil, mas a a RLIF (Rugby League International Federation) já está de olho no movimento de interessados em praticar a modalidade de 13 jogadores que predomina na Oceania e Reino Unido. O país é o primeiro da América do Sul a praticar o esporte, que é disputado em cerca de quarenta paises, com apenas dezoito filiados à entidade até hoje.
Os únicos clubes a disputar League por enquanto no país são o Serra e Baixo Gandu, ambos no Espírito Santo. Em São Paulo, existe um núcleo que treina esporadicamente na USP, o Capital RL.
Vale ressaltar que apesar dos poucos jogadores, o país é uma das dez maiores audiências do League na TV, com transmissões semanais da liga australiana, a NRL na TV por assinatura.

I'm not sure of the validity of the last sentence - Brazil, with weekly broadcasts of NRL on telly, has one of the best audiences in the world? Plausible I suppose.

 

[RedVee]

Best looking maybe

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

I think it says they're in the top 10 for rl ratings out of all the nations getting broadcasts from the NRL. Surprising if true.

 

[miguel de cervantes]

I think it says they're in the top 10 for rl ratings out of all the nations getting broadcasts from the NRL. Surprising if true.

Not really. After AUS, UK, NZ and PNG the drop off would be significant. France, the US, eastern Europe would follow with perhaps Brazil in there somewhere (200million of them), South Africa I suppose, tailed out by Pacific Islands.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

Russia has a big pop that has shown before they like RL.

Would be interesting to see the list of which countries gets some ratings that show up.

 

[Evil Homer]

Article on a meeting between interested parties from Brazil, Argentina and some guy from Latin Heat.

http://latinheatrl.com/2015/12/14/latino-league-officials-dedicated-to-fox-hunt/

Hopefully they can get the matches shown on TV, if not it really proves that Fox and the NRL are full of hot air regarding international markets.

 

[adamkungl]

Latin Heat are playing Thailand in Canberra on Jan 16

 

[Evil Homer]

Latin Heat are playing Thailand in Canberra on Jan 16

That's great but it isn't really South American RL news.

 

[adamkungl]

That's great but it isn't really South American RL news.

:roll: Yes it is.

 

[Evil Homer]

:roll: Yes it is.

Canberra is not in South America AFAIK.

 

[adamkungl]

Canberra is not in South America AFAIK.

Good spot there champ.

 

[adamkungl]

http://www.nrl.com/south-america-em...l-force/tabid/10874/newsid/91378/default.aspx

An ambitious decision to introduce rugby league to young men of Latin American descent has put the game on the verge of untold opportunities ahead of the Cabramatta International Nines in Sydney next week.

Preparing for the ninth staging of the Cabramatta Nines, teams representing nations from across the planet and throughout Australia will converge on western Sydney to play over the weekend of January 30-31.

Two years after the Latin Heat made their debut at Cabramatta such has been the growth in interest that for the first time teams made up completely of players hailing from Chile and El Salvador will take part in addition to the Latin Heat team consisting of players representing the 22 other Central and South American nations.

The ability of Chile and El Salvador to field stand-alone teams actually puts the future of the Latin Heat concept in some doubt, but that is exactly how the man behind the team wanted his passion project to evolve all along.

Robert Burgin saw the interest in rugby league when travelling through Brazil in 2012 and is thrilled to see the development reach the stage where individual Central and South American nations can now field their own teams.

"We will support individual Chile and El Salvador teams at the International Rugby League Nines, along with a combined team representing the other 22 nations of South and Central America,” said Burgin, who serves as the president of the Latin Heat.

"Beyond that we feel 2016 is the right year for the first full-blooded 17-a-side game between two Latino nations… possibly multiple nations.

"Chile, El Salvador and Peru have the best depth of Australian-trained players, while Argentina and Mexico are playing and conducting development work domestically.

"These are the most likely nations to emerge first, though you cannot discount Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia and Ecuador, all of which have taken initial steps.

"As these nations come into being in their own right, it would stand to reason there will be less need for players to pull together under the Latin Heat banner.

"But for now, it's a very enjoyable adventure for us all."

Spirits are high in the Latin Heat camp heading towards Cabramatta after they recorded their most significant win to date, a 54-16 thumping of the Thailand Stars in Canberra last weekend.

The match was attended by diplomats from Chile, Uruguay, Mexico and Ecuador but it was a man of Guyanese heritage who stole the show, Kevin McKenzie scoring four tries against the Thai team including one blockbusting run to the try-line that drew comparisons with great All Black winger Jonah Lomu.

James Horvat was making his debut for the Latin Heat and scored three tries and kicked three goals while Jye Sommers, in his final game for the Heat, led the way up front along with Canberra-based Chilean prop Eduardo Wegener.

Despite their proud history in rugby union Argentina were initially reluctant to accept rugby league but have recently expressed great interest in getting involved.

They and Mexico have been invited by the Rugby League International Federation to send teams to the 2017 Universities World Cup and Burgin is adamant that support must be forthcoming to foster their interest.

"The real boom place at the moment regarding development in South America is Argentina," Burgin said.

"It took a while for them to catch on compared to the initial interest we had from Chile, Colombia, El Salvador and Mexico but I went and saw their president Carlos Varela over December and he has attracted a lot of interest in the sport and is in the process of filing for RLIF membership status.

"I know he is speaking with Canada Rugby League about trying to get them to tour, but as with everything in international rugby league, money is hard to come by to make this happen.

"Both Argentina and Mexico have an invite from the RLIF to send teams to the 2017 Universities World Cup, which they are super pumped about, but money for flights will be the big issue again."

 

[Evil Homer]

Yet the NRL(Fox) have still not announced any plans to televise the sport in Brazil and elsewhere.

 

[Emu01]

Great to see the game take off in South America,let's hope Fox can continue to show some NRL games over there to keep interest in the game..Maybe they could organise a South Amercian Cup to play for...Latin Heat keep up the good work..

 

[latingringo101]

Great to see the game take off in South America,let's hope Fox can continue to show some NRL games over there to keep interest in the game..Maybe they could organise a South Amercian Cup to play for...Latin Heat keep up the good work..

Thanks for your kind words.

We are REALLY starting to make inroads in Latin America.

When we firstly started (June 2013) we only had 4 guys who turned up to training in Brisbane. Fast forward 2 years and we've identified over 200 Latino Rugby League players PLUS have filled 6 independent Rugby League national teams in various 7s and 9s tournaments (Ecuador, Peru, Chile, El Salvador, Colombia and uruguay).

At our International last Saturday we had 4 Embassy representatives from Uruguay, Ecuador, Mexico and Chile who attended our game against Thailand in Canberra. They ALL enjoyed our match and we have strong connections with them now.

We're also making in roads in South America with Argentina and Mexico already playing games in their retrospective countries.

PLUS we have solid contacts in Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia, El Salvador and Uruguay who want to start the game up.

We're going to be putting 3 teams in the Cabramatta 9s (Chile, El Salvador & a Combined Latin American team) in the tournament.

onwards and upwards for Latin Heat & Latin American Rugby League!

 

[latingringo101]

Yet the NRL(Fox) have still not announced any plans to televise the sport in Brazil and elsewhere.

Yeah it is annoying indeed. The reason we have contacts in Brazil is because some locals there saw the NRL being played on TV television.

We ran a Live steam for our match against Thailand last Saturday and had an average audience of 1000 people. We had individuals from countries like Ecuador, Mexico and USA watch the game from what i was told.

At the moment internet is the only way I'm afraid Latinos can watch NRL or Super League action at home.

 

[siv]

So how are you finding the benefit of a combined LH team

Maybe Asia or Africa could benefit from the concept

 

[Evil Homer]

So how are you finding the benefit of a combined LH team

Maybe Asia or Africa could benefit from the concept

Migrants from Africa and Asia are unlikely to ever return to live in those places so apart from appealing to a different demographic of Australians it would largely be pointless.