The Durham school out of Britain defeated the Eagle Impact Rugby Academy NY team 54-20 Wednesday night.

Despite the EIRA team being successful in tight and having the run of play in the scrums, Durham was more cohesive, faster with the ball, and more skills, punishing EIRA out wide. With Durham having been together all season and finishing off a successful tour of North America, and the EIRA group having just assembled, unity of purpose was always going to be the difference.

Durham showcased some serious talent, including some England age-grade players, but it was their teamwork and speed of play, not one or two stars, that saw them win.

The Durham coaches singled out four EIRA players as standouts on the evening - wing Justin Johnson (Pelham HS), scrumhalf Luke Persanis (Pelham HS), center Luke Salls (Simsbury), and prop Peter Reyes (Xavier HS).

1- Alex Pasa - Pelham HS at 35 Min Riley Burke - Pelham
2- Kevin Kumar - Xavier
3- Peter Reyes - Xavier - at 55 Justin Djuve - Staples
4- JT Perez - Pelham - at 35 Joe Nelson - Pelham
5- Jack Pillilo - Xavier- at 60 Christian Scott - Fairfield
6- John Patterson - Xavier - at 35 Mark Calvaruso- Pelham
7- Kevin Ndou - Pelham - at 55 Peter Reyes - Xavier
8- North Westall - Pelham
9- Luke Persanis - Pelham
10- Cian Burns - Pelham - at 30 by Bryce Stanback - Greenwich HS; at 65 Paul Devlin - Rye
11- Luke Bienstock - Greenwich HS
12- Sam Louman - Pelham - at 60 Mike Jennings - Staples
13- Mike Jennings- Staples - at 35 Luke Salls - Simsbury
14- Justin Johnson - Pelham
15- Whit Johnson - at 60 Bryce Stanback - Greenwich HS

The EIRA NY JVs took Durham as well and lost 31-19. Once again, the host forwards did well in the game, but the pace and teamwork of the tourists won out.