A meeting with a stranger resulted in a rugby union-playing Argentinian, Pancho Gaspani, switching codes, gaining representative honours and ending up playing rugby league in Canada.
PANCHO GASPANI has come a long way from his days of sleeping on a friend’s mattress on the floor of an inner city flat in Sydney to now living and playing rugby league in Canada for the Vancouver Valley Vipers.
The Argentina and Latin Heat international, a talented halfback, might still be living and in working in his homeland if it was not for pure luck going his way.
“It is quite rare for South Americans to live in Canada, but I have been living in Vancouver now since 2023 and I absolutely love the place.
“I enjoy playing for the Vipers and play rugby union in the off-season to maintain fitness, as it is my original sport.
“I was born in Mar Del Plata a seaside region in Buenos Aires.
“It has the largest seaside beach resort in Argentina and is one of our major fishing ports.
“As you can imagine, rugby union and soccer reign supreme in South America, but I gave soccer a go and it just was not for me.
“My dad played union so I followed him and joined my local junior club when I was four years old.
“It was only fitting that I then join my dad’s amateur club where he played and went from playing juniors to senior men’s.”
Gaspani’s league initiation came through meeting a stranger called Carlos Varela. Varela was seeking players in South America to join a newly formed team and before long, Gaspani was suiting up to play in a 9’s beach rugby league carnival and instantly fell in love with the game.
It was through Varela that Gaspani met Latin Heat founder Robert Burgin, who Gaspani cites as of the most influential figures in his career.
“Carlos has sadly passed away, but his enthusiasm in getting the game moving in South America was infectious to say the least. He was a great guy.
“Rob Burgin not only formed the Latin Heat and did so much for us players out of his own pocket, but he also taught me life lessons that I have taken away with me.
“When I officially made my rugby league debut in 2016 with the Latin Heat in Sydney, money was scarce and getting to Australia involved fundraising that Rob organised, and we were able to compete in a 9’s tournament in Sydney.
“Sleeping on a mattress on the floor in a friend’s apartment, was not ideal, but it was a roof over my head and gave me the opportunity to represent my heritage on the other side of the world.”
The diminutive Gaspani’s eye catching performances in that tournament were enough to gain selection in 2018 for the Latin Heat squad when the South Americans participated in the Emerging Nations tournament in Sydney.
“Playing rugby league involves significant physical contact and given my smaller stature, I focused on skill development to move effectively around the field and minimise the risk of injury.
“I remember after the Emerging Nations tournament how sore I was, but rugby league just has that extra razzle dazzle that union does not provide.”
Getting hurt is something Gaspani is used to given his slender frame and his initiation into the Canadian domestic competition was no different, having sustained two serious injuries in his first two games.
“In my first game for the Vipers I fractured my eye socket, then the very next game, I had my nose broken.
“The Canadian domestic competition is quite a good standard.
“We have five clubs that compete that are littered with overseas players who have come to Canada to play and travel.
“I reckon the Vipers has only 10 per cent born and bred Canadians, the others are either French, Fijian, English or Australian.”
Gaspani is proud to be the first Argentinian to have played rugby league in the Canadian competition.
“That’s special to have planted that seed and become somewhat of a leader amongst my countrymen. Hopefully, other South American kids get the opportunity to follow suit.”
Whilst rugby league in South America continues to develop slowly, Gaspani believes better days are ahead with more funding and exposure to the game back home.
“Without cash in the war chest, you really do struggle to keep players who often must fund their own travels if they want to compete around the world.
“The game is still growing in South America and you only must look at how successful the Brazilian women’s team was in the World Cup to see how far we have come in terms of development.
“Women’s rugby league is gaining traction all over the globe and I only see our girls getting stronger each year.”
Although Gaspani and his family are happily residing in Canada, the well-spoken international’s love of travelling could see him jet off to his next destination if everything lines up correctly.
“I would love to play in Australia or anywhere else that will help my career.
“Not only that, but I also want to play for Argentina and the Latin Heat again, because South Americans are enthusiastic about representing their country of birth.
“If you are reading this and wondering if you should travel the world in hope of bettering yourself as a player, then do it!
“You only have one life and I am living mine to the fullest.
“However, you must immerse yourself in the local culture and adapt to your surroundings if you want to make it as authentic as possible.
“Rugby league gave me the opportunities of a lifetime and the ride is still going; I cannot wait to see the next chapter.”
First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 511 (August 2025)