Last weekend I got to cover the Michelin Challenge Rugby Match for the Charleston Metro Sports Council. Held at Blackbaud Stadium between the USA Eagles (white jerseys) and France’s ASM Clermont Auvergne (yellow jerseys), this was the FIRST International Rugby competition ever held in the state of South Carolina!!! The young Eagles started out strong and took an early 7-0 lead. But the more experienced French team took charge in the end, winning with a final score of 37-14. The exciting match didn’t disappoint the over 4,000 passionate fans!!! “It was a tough match and that’s exactly what we wanted,” said U.S. Captain Todd Clever after the match. “The crowd was fantastic and they’ve been really supportive. Obviously we would’ve liked a win, but overall this match was everything we could’ve hoped for.” Proceeds from ticket sales helped raise valuable resources to benefit autism research at MUSC.