Eagle Impact Rugby Academy took a team to Argentina in the same summer the program sent two teams to Ireland.

The Argentina group were slightly older—U18s and U19s—but the competition was very stiff. The teams lost all three games, but program director Salty Thompson said the experience was hugely valuable. 

With Dai Morgan and Paule Barford providing intense game-based coaching, the players got a solid taste of international competition.

Several players showed well.

Mafi Mahuinga of Herriman in Utah has followed nicely in the footsteps of his older brother Gabe. Kaleb Asmussen is a powerful, 260-pound prop out of Eagle HS in Idaho, and he partnered nicely with Greensboro Barbarians (NC) front-rower Charles McPherson.

Granite Bay’s Cam Nelson, Ben Richards of Bellarmine Prep, and Sean McElliott of SFGG brought strong performances from Northern California.

Brendan Tomb, who got his start with the Foothills Rangers in New York, is an intriguing talent. At 6-5 he has test-match height and he has power, too. Jacob Cortinas, from Peninsula Green and going to Cal State Long Beach this fall, was impressive at scrumhalf, as was Braden Goodnight.

Payton Millet of the Prairie Wolfpack in Oregon, Zack Haley of Back Bay in Southern California, Michael Karns out of Ankeny in Iowa, and Isaiah Rademacher (East HS, Colorado) are all players to remember.