A SCOTS rugby-playing pupil has received a call-up to represent his country at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Rugby 7s.
Joe Townshend, who attends Strathallan School in Perthshire, will form part of the first Scottish Men’s Rugby 7s team at a Youth Games since the Isle of Man Games in 2011.
Joe was already selected for the Scottish under-18 team earlier this year and has said it was a dream come true to play for Scotland in the upcoming Rugby 7s.
“I’m really excited, it’s an amazing experience. It’s a high-level tournament but we have an exceptional team who are working well together,” he said.
Joe, who first started playing rugby when he was 7-years-old, fell in love with the sport at Belhaven Hill School before moving to Strathallan in Third Form.
Now, a Strathallan Rugby Academy player, Joe relished the challenge of transitioning from the traditional 15s game to the lightning-fast 7s format.
“It’s a whole different ball game,” he added. “The fitness demands are intense, but I’m enjoying the change of pace. It’s fast and furious.”
Joe isn’t the only Strathallan student making their mark for Scotland and Great Britain this summer.
He will join fellow Strathallan student Evan Davidson who will be making a splash in the pool for Team Scotland at the Commonwealth Youth Games.
The 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games will take place from 1 to 7 August in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
