The teams pose together after a hugely intense game. Alex Goff photo.

The Saint Ignatius High School Wildcats fought a closely contested battle against the La Plata Rugby Club of Buenos Aires during their tour of Argentina on March 30.

Hot and humid conditions contributed to the challenging matchup between the two, especially since the last game Ignatius had played was in snow.

The heated clash ended with a 19-3 win for La Plata. La Plata's defense was a massive factor in the game. St. Ignatius pressured the La Plata tryline for several minutes toward the end of the first half. Despite the Wildcats' valiant efforts, they were unable to penetrate La Plata's defense and went into the second half recovering from the disappointment of settling for just a penalty goal, which Jimmy Collins slotted.

The Wildcats brought energy and determination, with Davey Kotnick, Michael Krebs, and Auggie Sowinski receiving particular recognition for their hard work and relentlessness. Sowinski filled the flyhalf position with notable composure, despite the challenge of the international playing level.

Fullback Jimmy Collins summed up the sentiment of the day, "It was a battle the whole game. Every single time we went down with the ball they were over it. We just need to figure out our goalline offense; we need to figure out how to punch it in from there."

Looking ahead, the Wildcats gear up for their next international tour fixture in Mar Del Plata, Argentina, where they are slated to face off against San Ignacio Mar del Plata on April 2.