NYM traveled to Malden, MA, just north of Boston, to play Mystic River at their Pine Banks Park turf field on a chilly day that started with rain in New York, and snow in MA. However, by the time kick-off came it was cloudy but clear. What follwed was a hard-fought rugby match in a good tradition of the MET NY-NERFU rivalry.

NYM continued to look sluggish in the opening moments of the match, allowing the Mystic River 7 a long run into the 22 where Mystic set up camp. However, NYM warmed to the task and competed well with the physical pack and centers of Mystic to repel them. This frustrated Mystic who were the first to give up a man to the sin-bin. Dave Elwell then missed a realtively easy penalty before slotting home another from a similar position. After allowing Msytic to gain ground again NYM put in a fantastic goalline stand before losing hooker Matt Persanis to the bin for repeated team infringements. However, Mystic then scored as they spun it wide and their outside center grubbered through into the large open try zone for their wing to touch down. Mystic scored a second try, also out wide, to go into the half 10-3 up, but knowing they were in a game.

At the turn NYM knew if they could come out firing they could match Msytic. However, a complete lack of primary phase posession let us down with scrums regularly disrupted and the lineouts not functioning. Consequently our dangerous backs did not receive much ball and when they did it was sloppy and often received in a flat alignment. Mystic River composed themselves and took two further chances well as first their number 8 powered in from a penalty move before a break by their out-half brought another try out on the left. The match ended at 25-3 to Mystic River with 4 tries, one conversion and one penalty to one penalty for NYM.

Men of the Match - Forwards: Sam MacKenzie, who fought hard to go forward while the pack generally were on the back foot, Backs: Matt Venzin, who was again strong in the centers.

Team: 1. La Morgia, 2. Persanis (Mastrogeorgiou 50 mins to prop, Galen to Hooker), 3. Galen, 4. Cassidy, 5. Eckstein, 6. Bury, 7. Baker, 8. MacKenzie, 9. Brydon (McGarrity 60 mins to wing, Mynhardt to 9), 11. Dawson, 12. Venzin (c), 13. Richardson, 14. Mynhardt, 15. Garner.

The B-side made up for the A-side loss with a good win over a strong Mystic River B-side, 20-15. Particularly impressive was Matt VosBurgh who continued his return to rugby after a semester abroad (and only 3 prior games) with two well taken tries. In a nip-and-tuck game Mystic scored first, with Ryan McGarrity replying through good phase play and quick hands down the line. NYM then drove back up to Mystic's line where Matt Vosburgh powered over after some pick-and-goes from the forwards. Mystic got another score with a relatively easy number 8 pick-up. At halftime NYM turned around with coach Lopez coming on for an injured David Swain. He duly knocked over a penalty before setting Ryan McGarrity free to put in a long, raking kick that hopped up in front of the Mystic winger on their line. Matt VosBurgh followed up at speed and wrestled the ball away to score his second try. The final quarter saw numerous replacements make the field and NYM became somehat disjointed as the play became more fractious, Andy Burns earning a stright red for charging in when punches started flying after the restart following Mystic's third try. Charlie Delanoy had an impressive debut in his first ever rugby game and as he picks up the intricacies we are sure he'll be a player to watch.

Men of the Match - Forwards: AJ, Backs: Matt VosBurgh

Team. 1. Danahy, 2. Mezo, 3. Mastrogeorgiou, 4. Keegan, 5. Crafton, 6. Chevalier, 7. Rodriguez, 8. AJ Cush-Fautley, 9. Brydon, 10. Swain, 11. VosBurgh, 12. Martin, 13. McGarrity, 14. Lorenzen, 15. Dumitrescu.

Subs used: Forwards - Burns, Delanoy, Ezzo, Galen, Remmel; Backs - Crystal, Dodson, Levai, Lopez, Mynhardt