The Eagle Impact Rugby Academy U16s finished off a tough and very educational trip to British Columbia with a second difficult win over the BC U16s.

The EIRA U16s won 39-17 Wednesday in a game where they trailed for a period in the first half. In Saturday’s game on the campus of the University of British Columbia, the EIRA players were once again in a bit of a dogfight.

“You always want to play a wide, expansive game,” said EIRA U16s Coach John Banarhall, “but this one was a grinder. It was tough, but we’ll take the win.”

EIRA led 14-10 at halftime thanks to tries from prop Adam Tounkara (Maryland Exiles) and flyhalf Sean Nolan (Back Bay, Calif.). Nolan converted both.

In the second half, though, just as on Wednesday, the EIRA U16s started to pull away. Gonzaga HS hooker Matt Freeman burst over to make it 19-10, and then Gavin Prentice (Eastside Lions, Wash.) went over for his second try in as many games. Nolan slotted the extras and EIRA was in control 26-10. Captain Kai Carlberg (Springfield, Ill.) capped it off with a try to make it 31-10.

BC used open subs in their preparation for later competition, and it was a test of EIRA’s fitness, but Banarhall said his team still ground down the BC team.

Scrumhalf Kyle Lazera (Jupiter, Fla.) was outstanding in running the team’s pattern. 

This was the first international experience for many of these players, and they emerged with two impressive wins, both of which required them to show a little fortitude.

EIRA U16s 31

Tries: Tounkara, Nolan, Freean, Prentice, Carlberg

Convs: Nolan 3

BC U16s 10