Local Rugby Takes On London Team.

Monday of last week, forty-four rugby players from the North London Merchant Taylors School (MTS), escorted by six coaches, arrived in Westport and were whisked away by twenty hosting families, where the boys would be treated to Americana activities and meals, before their final game in their long tour, the next day. 

The stop in Westport was the end of a long and tiring two week tour to Toronto, Boston, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut for the top level schools rugby team. With many injuries suffered along the way the visiting team would play one last game in each age group, JV and Varsity levels, against a mixed team from Weston, Westport, Wilton, Redding, Easton, Fairfield and Ridgefield rugby players pulled together just for one game each.

Wearing the jerseys of the Fairfield County All-Stars (FCAS) the representative rugby team was selected from local rugby teams at Aspetuck Valley, Ridgefield High School, Staples High School, Fairfield Club, and Fairfield Prep. Both FCAS teams were coached by Aspetuck Valley Rugby coaches Mark Van Eyk and Matt Squance. With three partially attended, and only one full practice under their belt, the knowledge of the local players held them well to put up a good defensive game and get some points on the board.

After an evening with their host families the teams assembled at the Easton rugby field located behind the community center on a very steamy 90 degree day. The games started with the JV team taking to the field. From the outset MTS was on the attack scoring very quickly, putting FCAS on the back foot with solid defensive tackling by Aspetuck’s Drew Sennett and Fairfield Preps’ Thomas McDevitt who both didn’t stop running and tackling all game. Hitting back, the local team was within inches of the line only to lose possession of the ball by a very experienced English side.

Down two tries and one conversion (12 points) to nil the FCAS ground away toward their line with strong attacks by both the forwards and the back line. A penalty was awarded to Fairfield County allowing Lewis Grassie (Aspetuck) a quick ball to run through a handful of defenders to score off to the side of the posts. The try was successfully converted by Aspetuck’s fly-half Max Carroll, giving the team 7 points. With MTS scoring another couple of times in quick succession, and successfully converting, the end score was 26-7 to the visitors.

Representing the 1st XV MTS rugby team the FCAS varsity team was in for a tough 60 minutes of rugby. With steam in their boots the Fairfield County team started their attack of the boys from across the pond, driving down toward their own line. A lineout win allowed Fairfield player Jake Garrell to steal the ball from the back of the ruck and crash over for a solid try putting points on the board. A tough conversion from the sideline by Fairfield’s Dawud Mohamed was missed by a whisper to keep them at 5 points to nil. Despite a very solid FCAS defense the rest of the game was one sided with MTS putting in some break away tries, scoring under the posts, and being successfully converted for a 28-5 final score.

In true rugby style, the visitors and hosts all moved over to a local Easton park for a BBQ and recount of both games. Many tails were told by the visitors of their tour to date, and of the fantastic nights they enjoyed with their hosts the night before. A couple of hours of catching up made way to the guests going back to their hosts again for the night, before being returned to Westport the next morning to depart to the airport and back to London, and no doubt reporting on a very successful rugby tour.

Having a taste of rugby touring, there is talk afoot by the Aspetuck Valley Rugby Club to organize a pre-season rugby tour to Ireland or Bermuda in the early months of 2014. For more information on playing the great sport of Rugby, please visit www.AspetuckValleyRugby.org or email AspetuckValleyRugby.com