This is the second piece we have about Eagle Impact Rugby Academy’s summer tours.

Mid-July saw an EIRA U17 and U16 team travel to Ireland in what is becoming an annual trip. Both teams played three games, and both came away 1-2. The U16s played and lost to Munster U16s and Connacht U16s, while the U17s lost to Ulster Clubs U17s, and Connacht U17s. Both teams beat Ulster Schools in Belfast.

One of the interesting standouts was Logan Weidner, a 6-5 No.8 who had actually played against the HS All Americans in Canada. A student at Carson Graham HS in British Columbia, he qualifies for both the USA and Canada, and wanted to tour with an elite American team this summer.

He was a handful.

(Photos by Mariela Gorzkowska Pattinson, Leslie Blair, and Andy Byrne)

Elliot Florance Webster is another big impressive forward. The New Zealand-born lock was a standout with OMBAC Youth, and he combined nicely with Charlotte Tigers second row Jack Brown.

Another Charlotte Tiger, Brandon Harvey, is a talent to watch, while Lucas Pattinson of La Jolla, Calif., is another powerful forward who can play lock or flanker.

Prop Anthony Richardson, scrumhalf George O’Brien, fyhalf Liam Peck, back Porter Goodrum, and Gordon McKeon all showed well on the older team.

Among the younger players Siaosi Nauer has emerged as a force at center. The Kansas City Jr. Blue certainly plays big.

Matthew Weiner is another Aspetuck product who is playing well. His older brother Ray has received plenty of accolades. Lucas Ring is going to school in England but is US qualified.

Trey Reed out of Noth Carolina is a solid prop-hooker. Landon Neel is a young lock out of the Palmer Terrors in Colorado. St. Thomas Aquinas standout Brock Kluempers, and Back Bay’s Lockie Treister—whose dad was a longtime rugby league star in Australia, were also intriguing.

There are more. Tommy Hannon, Royal irish flyhalf, Charley Hastriter out of Capital HS in Idaho, Vaia Kruse out of Southern California, and Matteo Berenger out of Illinois were also players who thrived in the tough competition.

Losing games, said program director Salty Thompson, is part of the deal. Playing games that are easy wins teaches these kids little. But to go overseas and battle gives them a taste of competing at a high level. And to do that at age 15, 16, and 17 gives them a boost as they continue to play.