EIRA Girls Go 3-0 in Spain
EIRA Girls Go 3-0 in Spain
The Eagle Impact Rugby Academy girls U18 team wrapped up their tour of Spain with three victories.
The EIRA team beat Calatlunya 26-5, CAU Rugby Valencia 15-7, and Unió Esportiva Santboiana 22-7—all three being women's club teams with older players.
The team took 26 players from 13 states and were led by Head Coach Kelsie McDowell with Jason Scrogham and Salty Thompson as assistant coaches.
Tour captain Tahna Wilfley, who is a rising senior but plays for the Colorado Grey Wolves in the WPL, set the tone with her excellent work rate and physicality at flanker. She was joined by Dartmouth College recruit Katija Crawford of Hawaii Pasefika at No. 8.
The halfback pairing of Cece Rose of the Green Bay Banshees and Osooso Sulunga of Pasefika, a Cardiff Met recruit, was instrumental in managing EIRA's attack.
"The combinations came with trial by fire," McDowell told GRR. "We had 36 hours before our first game, but the girls took training seriously and bonded quickly. We had a team meeting ahead of the tour to establish goals and what we wanted to accomplish and the girls bought in and stepped up."
Fullback and rising senior Molly Kennedy of Aspetuck was outstanding.
The games were all played in the impressive rugby facilities in Barcelona and Valencia.
July 5 - 26-5 v Catalunya
July 9 - 15-7 v CAU Rugby Valencia
July 13 - 22-7 v Unió Esportiva Santboiana
Allowing just one try per game came down to some excellent work from defense coach Jason Scrogham.
"We focused on different aspects of the defense every training and we needed it," said McDowell. "Jason is great at break down what he wants in defense so that all the players were engaged and making huge strides from one training to the next."
The tour itself is designed to develop players for the next level. EIRA's girls team tours have only been going for a few years but already they have helped talented players find high-level playing opportunities after high school.
For McDowell, improving players' self management through the tour was important—players need to learn how to be on time, switched on at the right times, and organized.
"We had a lot of new players and the expectations were an adjustment for many," continued to coach. "But the girls grew consistently in all aspects of the game, which made it possible for HS girls to compete with grown women."
