Xavier HS Garners Much from UK Tour
Xavier HS Garners Much from UK Tour
Touring for rugby teams is one of the sport's great traditions, so over Easter break, 39 players and six coaches headed across the pond from Xavier in New York City to the ancestral home of rugby, the United Kingdom.
The team left hoping to improve skills and play top-level matches, and they were not disappointed.
The tour itself was operated by Irish Rugby Tours, which plans out a team's competitions, their other rugby activities such as attending professional games or coaching sessions, and cultural activities.
By Michael LiVigni
This year, Xavier visited London, Bath, and Cardiff. As soon as the Xavier Knights left Heathrow Airport, they headed directly to the home of English rugby, Allianz Stadium. Following that the touring party moved on to StoneX Stadium, where they met members of the Saracens RFC coaching staff and enjoyed a training session.
“We worked on lineouts with the Saracens coaches,” said junior openside flanker Liam Averill, “and that helped us in the game against Hertford RFC.”
And the first tour match against Hertford in Ware, Hertfordshire on April 19 was a back-and-forth battle from the opening whistle.
“We were down and then tied at one point, 17-17,” said senior loosehead prop Nicholas Son. “This match tested the boys' mental toughness.”
“The Hertford match was a very tough one, but a fun one," added senior prop Christopher Lobo. "We played our shape well, and our aggression was better than in our match against St. Ignatius, which made this a good bounce-back from that loss.”
Hertford was a fast, strong team with excellent offloads. They spread the ball out fast, and the Colts took advantage when Xavier struggled to fold. According to Averil, the Knight's strategy was to try to punch holes in the middle of the Hertford lines and power through. When that did not work, Xavier went to the edges.
“Once we started getting it wide, finding holes, using dummies, and running our lines, the attack started coming together,” said Averill, who scored the Knights' first try.
No. 8 Rob Milacci added a second Xavier try, also converted by Edward Marquez-Miles, for a 14-12 halftime lead. In the opening minutes of the second half, Hertford scored, briefly giving them the lead, before the score was tied off a penalty goal from Edward Marquez-Miles. He added another penalty goal in the waning minutes of the second half before senior scrumhalf William Scariano wnt over to seal a 27-24 win.
“Being down and he match coming down to the last few minutes showed us that if we stick to our game plan and trust in each other, we could get the job done,” Son said. But the match left two Xavier starters, senior captain and inside-center Max Wyckoff and Nick Son, battered enough that they sat out the rest of the tour’s matches. The Knights then headed to a Sarecens/Gloucester match to wrap up the day.
After a stop at Stonehenge, the team headed to the storied city of Bath for a match against the Skillclub Rugby Academy. Skillclub is an organization created by Ellis Genge, Mitch Eadie, and Andrew Bell that focuses on position development for young players. As the Knights took the pitch, it was clear that while their opponents were skilled players, they had never played together as a unit. The result was a lopsided 55-0 win for Xavier.
“Their side didn't have much experience together,” said junior flyhalf James Allison, “and a few said they only played together for 40 minutes or so before the match.”
Despite this, the Knights learned a lot from their opponents, which is one of the main goals of tour.
If you would like to explore going on tour in just about any rugby country, contact Irish Rugby Tours at IrishRugbyTours.com
“They played wide and tested our defense, ensuring we were set,” said junior lock Gianny Jeudy, "and when we weren't set, they exploited the gaps, forcing us to adapt and figure out which gaps they were shooting for.”
Jeudy was especially proud that the match against Skillclub helped the Knights realize their team’s depth.
“We have people who can step up, fill in, and still have a fully functional 15 and a front pack,” he said. After the match, there was a friendly off-the-field chat with jersey swapping, while Ellis Gange, prop for the Bristol Bears and world-renowned player for England, looked on and chatted with the Xavier coaching staff.
In the tour's final leg, the team left England and headed to Cardiff, Wales. The first stop was a tour of the Principality Stadium, followed by an afternoon training session with two legendary coaches: Corniel Vanzyl and Matt Sheratt, both of the Cardiff Blues, and Sheratt, the interim coach for the Welsh National Team.
This was a tour highlight for head coach Greg Norris. “As a coaching group, we learned a lot from them and made excellent contacts for the future.”
After watching the Blues defeat Munster later in the week, the squad would see both coaches again on the pitch of Cardiff Arms Park, which had been opened so that fans could greet the players.
The final tour match saw the team travel to Bargoed in South Wales to meet the Bargoed RFC. Like Hertford, Bargoed presented a challenge for the Knights. According to senior scrumhalf William Scariano, Xavier struggled to find its footing in the first ten minutes of the match. “We struggled a little at the beginning, and this is something that we've been doing all season. We struggled to make the right decisions, but realized that these decisions really mean the game, so we are working on this.
Senior second-row Nicholas Adelaine agreed. “We had to adjust in the first 15 minutes, after they managed to steal the ball a couple of times. We knew we had to be faster there, so we adjusted well, and our support lines got faster. That allowed us to compete with them much more effectively.”
Despite the shaky start, Xavier led Bargoed 24-5 after the first half, with tries by junior wing Ethan Mok, Averill at flanker, and senior Conor Gangemi, who played inside center for this match. Marquez-Miles put in a penalty goal and conversion kicks for each try.
But Bargoed would not be dominated. It came out strong in the second half and piled on six tries as the Knights piled up penalties. But Xavier would not be deterred as senior left-wing Adam Boulamaali, Adelaine, and Gangemi each punched in tries for the Knights. In the end, Xavier came out with a 43-40 win.
"I'm proud that, despite having multiple starters out, we had guys step right in and run up the score in the first half,” Gangemi said. “They were a great team, with a great fight. They hit pretty hard over here, but we managed to put points on the board.” Scariano agreed, adding, “We had great lines all around, with great support. We showed a lot of skill, but I respect Bargoed. They were very skilled. They have some talented players, and they had a great showing.”
“This was certainly one of the more successful tours in recent years,” Norris said, “Not only because of the success on the field but also because of a multitude of off-field successes. The team represented itself exceptionally well, and I received numerous compliments from multiple individuals who interacted with the team. The compliments were not only centered on the level of play and practice, but also regarding their behavior off the field.”
“Obviously, a three-sweep is good, something everyone is happy about and proud of,” Gangemi said, and added that he believes the team leaves the tour in an excellent position for the end of the season. “We have completely sharpened our skills and contact zone over the tour. Tour is supposed to be a learning moment for teams, and I think we have learned a lot about ourselves and our identity. I can't wait to take it back to the States.” Gianny Jeduy agreed. “The team is just bonding. We're getting a better grasp of each other, and because we have a better team chemistry, it translates to the field.”
This was a good example of the types of games Irish Rugby Tours presents for a touring team. While one game was lopsided, it was a good chance for everyone to play. The other games were three-pointers.
"Irish Rugby Tours has always been our go-to agents for touring," added Norris. "They really planned a great tour with a great variety of well-matched opposition. Whilst the tour is for the players essentially, the coaching sessions were an absolute highlight for the coaches. To be able to interact with the likes of Matt Sherrat and Corniel VanZyl, to watch how they coached our lads, was a huge bonus. All in all a tour packed with good rugby, good adrenalin filled experiences and excellent interactions. Well played."
The Knights return home to wrap up their CHSAA league play against St. Anthony’s High School, a match against East Coast rival, Gonzaga High School, the NY State bowl game, and then to the National Tournament in Elkhart, Ind.
