July 16 - The National Collegiate Rugby All-Americans capped off an undefeated three-week tour of France with a thrilling 25-19 victory over the French Universities in Paris on July 4. They opened the campaign with a 36-20 defeat of the Belgium U23s on June 23 in Dunkirk, followed by a 17-7 victory over the French National Guard, Gendarmerie Nationale, June 27 in Bayeux.
The tourists got off to a slow start in the opener, with Belgium boasting a 6-3 advantage at halftime. Two tries in the first ten minutes of the second half put the Americans in front, and they wouldn’t trail again, with Walsh scrumhalf Remy Thompson, BYU flyhalf Wyatt Parry, Kutztown wing Mate Kvirikashvili and St. Bonaventure center Keelin Coyle all scoring second-half tries to secure victory at Stadium du Littoral. Marian flanker JD Farrell was named man of the match for his work in the trenches.
“I’m proud of the resilience we showed. The first week was rough. By week two, we were like a family. That game against Belgium did a lot to bring the boys together, and they realized they could play on this level,” said Head Coach Thomas Clark.
"This experience showed me how much rugby can bring people together in a short period of time,” added Babson’s Jack Byszio. “I came into the team not knowing anyone and left with a new family. This helped on and off the field and played a huge role in the success on this tour."
Against Gendarmerie Nationale, the All-Americans conceded too many points from penalties early on, resulting in a stalemate midway through the second half until Kutztown’s Benedict Quinn made a line break off a restart and hoisted a kick ahead. Siena flanker Sennen Grove hauled it in and scored, turning momentum the tourists’ way. Mary Washington flyhalf Cale White also dotted down, with Walsh prop Tanner Smith earning man of the match honors.
In the finale, the All-Americans twice came back from deficits, trailing 9-3 late in the first half and 19-18 in the 73rd minute. Parry setup Wheeling center Aaron Juma for the first go-ahead try, giving the tourists an 11-9 halftime lead. At full time, the BYU star did it all himself, stepping a Frenchman inside the American 22 before chipping a kick over the top of the defensive line, regathering and grounding the game winner.
“It was, honestly, probably one of the most fun three weeks of my life,” said Parry of the tour. “It was super fun, because everyone there was really, really good at rugby, there wasn’t any drama, everyone was supportive of the team and knew the team goals. It was super fun playing for Coach Ed (Turbidy) and all the other coaches. They really know their rugby, so it was cool to learn rugby from their point of view.”
On tour were 32 players representing 20 schools from eight conferences and 15 states, commemorating the 100-year anniversary of the United States defeating France to win gold at the 1924 Paris Olympics, the last time XV-a-side rugby was featured in the Olympic Games. The trip also falls on the 80th anniversary of D-Day, and it was rich in historical and cultural experiences.
The touring party made several educational excursions, staying and training on Juno Beach, where the Canadians landed on D-Day. They visited the Normandy American Military Cemetery, where 9,388 American service members are laid to rest, and the Overlord Museum on Omaha Beach.
In Paris, the tourists were moved by their trip to the Memorial for Fighting France, dedicated to members of the French resistance killed during WWII. The day of the match against the French Universities, the All-Americans laid a wreath at the Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial, the resting place for 1,559 American casualties of WWI and 24 unknown dead from WWII.
“The historical aspect was super cool,” added Parry. “In Paris, we would speak English, and some people would be like, ‘ah, dumb American’ type stuff. (In Normandy), when we spoke English, they were all super understanding. They remembered D-Day very well. That was very cool, and very humbling.”
The students also trained with youth players at each of their stops.
“It was pretty cool to see 10-years-olds doing box kicks, kicking for touch, doing some pretty elite stuff,” said Parry. “And afterward, they were super excited and asked for our autographs, like we were famous people, which was kind of fun.”
The team was hosted by the French Rugby Federation to visit its elite training center outside Paris, inspiring many players and coaches to work for higher honors. In all, the NCR All-Americans’ first international tour was a successful one, on and off the pitch.
“Our French hosts, RugbyCentennial, led by entrepreneur Gilles Teisseyre, were magnificent, taking care of the team, setting the stage for all three matches in wonderful stadiums, and introducing us to the French culture and the many French-American ties we have between our two countries” said Tour Director Steven Hiatt.
“We are very thankful for all their work and the opportunity to renew our bonds of friendship through this Centennial Tour. Massive contributions on the American side from Director of Rugby Edward Tubridy, Head Coach Tom Clark, Finance Director Eric Graham and the rest of the staff were instrumental in our success, as well”.
This tour is part of NCR’s 10-year All-American plan to provide high performance opportunities to players, coaches, and administrators in order to support the US hosting the 2031 and 2033 Rugby World Cups.
Future efforts will include a Women’s Collegiate All-American component. The French didn’t have capacity for this in the inaugural year, however. All funds for the tour came from sponsorships, donations and apparel sales.
“Play with some really good people and really good coaches, and go live in France for three weeks? It’s not too bad of a gig,” said Parry, who’d previously toured England and New Zealand. “The highest level of rugby I’ve played, for sure, was on this tour.”
“This experience itself has made me fall deeper in love with rugby,” added Wheeling’s Joseph Iye. “I learned a lot from the coaches and from the players around me. Bouncing information and knowledge and learning to humble myself to, whose plan is better, has also helped me mature in decision making on the field. I’ve always wanted to be a professional rugby player since I started playing at the age of six, and this trip made me want it even more."
