Mystic River’s U19s are back on tour this February, touring Italy with the help of Irish Rugby Tours.

(Despite the name, Irish Rugby Tours takes teams to destinations all over the world, helping them combine a cultural itinerary with tickets to professional and international gams, and matching the teams with competitive opponents.)

“We have toured with Irish Rugby tours since the creation of the Mystic Youth program,” said Thomas “TC” Clark, the Head Coach of the Mystic River Gulls U19 program. “In fact, before my time David Rudzinsky who founded the Mystic youth program started our relationship with them.”

Since then, Mystic has toured every two years.

“Touring is a big part of the Mystic U19s and really sets us apart from our local counterparts,” said Clark. “We tour twice every summer for sevens events to venues like Lakefront 7s in Milwaukee, Surfside 7s in New Jersey, and Cape Fear 7s in North Carolina. We also host one international tour every summer.” 

The last two years Mystic has hosted Merchant Taylors school from England.

This tour to Italy includes 26 students from eight different high schools, along with four coaches from four different schools (Clark also coaches St. John’s Prep) and 16 chaperones and guests.

Paying for it all takes some work but is worth it. A raffle raised $18,000 for the trip, and they also received donations from the following:

GF Sprague Roofing, Integrated Builders, the Bunnell family, the Bentley family, Greg Robinson, the Zion family, the Ennius family, Dan Kenslea, Declan O’Reardon, Mort Sullivan, Dave Rudzinsky, Lisselott Altagracia Valdez Pegue, James Molignano, and Local 104 Lineworker’s Union.

New England Free Jack Jared Collinson hosted the team for six strength and conditioning sessions at Flight Performance and Fitness.

So it was a massive club-building experience even to get on the plane.

“We are very proud of all of the support we get from the Mystic River Rugby club, Old Boys, and the families and parents involved with our senior club, youth program, and the U19s,” said Clark. 

So now they’re in Italy for a nine-day trip. With not having played yet this season, Mystic got some training in first. So IRT set up a training at the Serie A professional club Colorno and another with the Cus Milano club, and toured the Cit of Milan before their first game, which is on Wednesday.

Mystic Rugby U19s Touring Squad

Tom “TC” Clark, Head Coach, St John’s Prep, Northeast Academy

Mortimer Sullivan, Forwards Coach, Catholic Memorial

Philip Baker-Coe, Backs Coach, Malden Catholic

T Dominic McNeil, Forwards Coach, Algonquin Regional High School

______

Jimmy Schneiders, St. John’s Prep
James Sullivan, Catholic Memorial
Nicholas Uzar, Algonquin Regional High School
Kieran Patch, St. John's Prep
John Mastroianni, St. John’s Prep
Liam  Borza, Catholic Memorial High
Joseph Hamm III (Captain), Medway High
Nicholas Masterson      (Captain), St John's Prep
Thomas Dussault, Malden Catholic
Cullen Walsh,Algonquin Regional High
Logan Sergei Main-Sobel, Westborough HS
Nicholas Barrett, St. John's Prep
Cole Rinklin, St. Johns Prep
Nicholas Brescio, St. John's Prep
Peter Wiehe, St. John's Prep
Christopher Yah-Valdez, Catholic Memorial
Jonathan Bunnell, St. John’s Prep
Andrew Bunnell, St. John’s Prep
Alexander Sawhney, St. John’s Prep
Martin King III, LaSalle Academy
Ruairi Cleary-Bentley, Amesbury High
Tiernan Cleary-Bentley, Amesbury High
Alexander Brescio, St. John's Prep
Clayton Majors, Catholic Memorial
Henry Blouin, St. John's Prep
Cole Collins, St John’s Prep
James Horkan, St. John’s Prep

Contact Irish Rugby Tours to plan your tour to any of a variety of rugby countries around the world, including Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland, Portugal, Spain, New Zealand, South Africa, and more.

Go to IrishRugbyTours.com for more.

Or check them out on Facebook.