Mystic River's U19 team is on tour in France with the tour planned and run by Irish Rugby Tours.
The team out of the Boston area arrived in France a couple of days ago and already have had a training session with professional coaches in Paris, and played their first game.
Mystic played a tough, competitive match in Normandy Sunday against Évreux AC Rugby in the town of Évreux, about 50 miles northwest of Paris.
It was a muddy day and perhaps that added to the enjoyment as the two teams bonded in the conditions.
The French teams bring plenty of skill, even in difficult weather.
"We played on a muddy pitch; the weather has been rainy all month and our players are used to turf," said Coach Phillip Baker-Coe. "A well-placed kick and good chase have been tough to defend when it’s hard to change direction."
After that game the team has traveled on to Bordeaux where they trained with Bordeaux-Begles professional coaches and toured the stadium.
