Report by Brian Dunphy.

The Legion Academy U18 boys finished the NSW Junior State Championships with a 4-3-1 record, testing themselves against some of Australia’s strongest junior rugby clubs and leaving Sydney with a clear message: American youth rugby can compete.

Across eight matches over three tournament days, Legion beat Eastwood, South Coast Monaro, Manly, and West Harbour, drew Central Coast, and pushed elite sides Warringah, Randwick, and Southern Districts in tightly contested matches.

Day 1 - Session One

Legion Academy 13 - 7 Eastwood

Legion opened the tournament against Eastwood in one of the most important matches of Pool A. Eastwood struck first after applying heavy pressure inside Legion’s 22 for the opening six to seven minutes, eventually converting a try for a 7-0 lead.

Legion answered through Thomas Reynoso after Luke Hensley produced a major momentum play, charging down an Eastwood kick and putting Legion into scoring range. Reynoso finished the opportunity with power, cutting the halftime deficit to 7-5.

In the second half, Legion flipped the pressure. Max Ricono added a penalty kick, and Jacob Ruvalcaba scored his first international try after a quick tap from Ricono, ball movement through Hensley, and a clinical finish out wide. Eastwood did not score in the second half.

Coach Dan DeClark credited the team’s composure after weathering Eastwood’s early pressure and called the win a major confidence-builder. Eastwood would go on to beat several highly ranked Pool A opponents, making Legion the only team in pool play to defeat them.

Day 1 - Session Two

Legion Academy 14 - 5 South Coast Monaro

South Coast Monaro opened fast, scoring in the second minute to take a 5-0 lead. Legion responded through its forwards and physical structure.

Patrick Knight powered a drive that helped set up Luke Hensley for Legion’s first try, with Gavin Dauod converting.

Justin Diaz then scored his first international try after strong forward pressure near the try line, pouncing on a loose ball and finishing from close range. Max Ricono added the conversion to give Legion a 14-5 halftime lead.

The second half became a defensive battle, with neither team crossing the line. Coach DeClark praised the team’s defensive effort, noting that the players repeatedly tackled, reset, and got back into the line without giving ground.

The result gave Legion its second straight win and showed the squad could win both with attacking pressure and defensive discipline.

Day 1 - Session Three

Legion Academy 21 - 17 Manly

Legion’s third match of the day began with a highlight-reel moment. Finn Hannigan broke loose from the opening sequence and raced roughly 90 meters for a try under the posts. Gavin Dauod converted, giving Legion an early 7-0 lead.

Manly responded with three first-half tries, using quick ball, width, and opportunistic play to take a 17-7 halftime lead. Despite being smaller physically, Manly played with pace and edge, forcing Legion to chase the match.

In the second half, Legion showed resilience. Henry Mallory finished a powerful lineout-to-maul sequence, and Dauod converted to cut the gap.

Later, Remo Robertson gave Legion the decisive score, finishing around the edge after the forwards compressed Manly’s defensive line. Dauod again converted, completing the comeback.

Coach DeClark highlighted the impact of the substitutes and praised Gavin Dauod’s kicking, noting that conversions were decisive in a match where not every kick came from directly in front.

Legion finished Day 1 undefeated at 3-0.

Day 2 - Session One

Warringah 12 - 5 Legion Academy

Day 2 opened with a difficult early test against Warringah, one of the stronger clubs in the tournament. Warringah capitalized quickly on a Legion mistake and scored in the first minute. They added a second try later in the half and converted it, taking a 12-0 lead into halftime.

Legion responded in the second half. Bruce Barnier scored a try to bring the Legion Academy back into the match, and the defense held Warringah scoreless after the break.

Coach DeClark credited Warringah’s rugby IQ and ability to punish mistakes, but he also noted that Legion stayed in the match until the end. Remo Robertson nearly had a late opportunity on the wing that could have changed the result.

The loss was Legion’s first of the tournament, but the second-half response showed the team’s competitiveness against one of the top Australian sides.

Day 2 - Session Two

Randwick 17 - 5 Legion Academy

Legion’s second match of Day 2 came against Randwick, the eventual State Championship winner. Randwick scored first, then Legion was forced to manage a difficult stretch with yellow cards that left the team short-handed.

Randwick used the advantage to build a 12-0 halftime lead. Coach DeClark emphasized how difficult it is to play 13-on-15 against a club with Randwick’s pedigree, coaching, and attacking quality.

At full strength in the second half, Legion matched Randwick physically and on the scoreboard. Liam Dunphy scored a determined try from close range, fighting through multiple defenders and placing the ball down under pressure.

Randwick added a late try out wide to seal the match.

Despite the 17-5 loss, Legion proved it could compete directly with the tournament’s top team when at full strength.

Day 2 - Session Three

Southern Districts 12 - 7 Legion Academy

Legion’s final match of Day 2 came in bracket play against Southern Districts. The first half was a defensive fight, with both teams trading field position and goal-line pressure. Legion reached the five-meter line multiple times but could not finish.

Southern Districts eventually broke through and converted to take a 7-0 halftime lead.

In the second half, the Southern Districts added another try, but the Legion kept pushing. Luke Hensley, one of the team’s most consistent spark players throughout the tournament, scored late. Max Ricono converted, bringing Legion within reach at 12-7.

Coach DeClark pointed to small margins: a bobble near the five-meter line, a turnover at the wrong time, and missed opportunities that could have swung the game. Legion ended Day 2 at 0-3, but against elite competition: Warringah, Randwick, and Southern Districts.

DeClark’s message to the team that night was about mindset: separate from the losses, but not from the lessons.

Day 3 - Session One

Legion Academy 0 - 0 Central Coast

Legion opened Day 3 against Central Coast in a physical, defensive quarterfinal match. Neither team scored in the first half, despite Legion creating several goal-line opportunities.

Coach DeClark credited Central Coast’s resilience, noting that they withstood repeated Legion attacks near the try line and refused to crack.

The second half followed the same pattern. Legion again built pressure, including a strong lineout-to-maul sequence that came close to producing a try, but Central Coast held firm. The match ended 0-0.

Because the two teams were not from the same pool, tournament rules required a goal kicking shootout to determine bracket advancement. Central Coast advanced through the shootout.

For Legion, the scoreline still reflected a strong defensive performance: Legion Academy did not concede a point.

Day 3 - Session Two

Legion Academy 37 - 0 West Harbour

Legion closed the tournament with its most complete performance, overwhelming West Harbour 37-0.

After the disappointment of the Central Coast shootout, Maverick DeClark showed leadership by taking early points. He kicked two first-half penalties to give Legion a 6-0 lead and put West Harbour under immediate scoreboard pressure.

Remo Robertson then added a first-half try, using his pace to finish around the edge. Legion led 11-0 at halftime.

The second half was all Legion. DeClark scored and converted his own try, Henry Mallory broke loose for a long-range score, and DeClark converted again. DeClark later added his second try of the match, while Max Ricono also crossed for a try. DeClark finished with another conversion, closing out a dominant 26-point second half.

Coach DeClark praised the forwards for creating the platform, highlighting Thomas Reynoso’s leadership, Chase Marshall’s work at the breakdown, and the pack’s ability to draw in defenders and create space for the backs.

The final whistle gave Legion a 37-0 win and a strong finish to the tournament.

2026 NSW Peugeot Junior Rugby State Championship 

Scoring Leaders

 

Tournament Summary

Legion Academy finished the NSW Junior State Championships with a 4-3-1 record against elite Australian competition.

Scoring was spread across the roster, with 12 different Legion players putting points on the board. Maverick DeClark led the team with 22 points, followed by Max Ricono with 12. Henry Mallory, Luke Hensley, and Remo Robertson each scored two tries, while Bruce Barnier, Gavin Dauod, Justin Diaz, Liam Dunphy, Finn Hannigan, Thomas Reynoso, and Jacob Ruvalcaba also crossed for tries.

Coach DeClark emphasized that the diversity of scorers reflected the team’s willingness to share the ball and play connected rugby.

He also highlighted the unsung work of the forwards and role players who created the scoring opportunities through rucks, tackles, blocks, carries, and defensive effort. Luke Hensley was described as a key spark throughout the tour, while Thomas Reynoso was praised as a captain and leader whose attitude and focus helped set the team standard.

For the Legion Academy U18s, the tournament was bigger than the final record. It was a test against some of the best junior rugby programs in Australia, a learning experience under pressure, and a major step forward for a young American side representing Southern California and the United States overseas.

As Coach DeClark put it, the team came to Australia to see the best, play the best, and compete. Across three days in Sydney, Legion Academy did exactly that.