HEREFORD teenager Richard Townsend has been selected to play at this summer’s IRB 2009 Junior World Championship in Japan.

The 19-year-old prop from Bartestree will be representing the Canada under-20 national rugby team at the tournament in less than a month’s time.

Townsend has just returned from a four-day selection camp at Shawnigan Lake School in Canada. It was the Canada players’ last chance to secure their place on the plane to Japan.

“We had a few days’ training and then we had a match against an invitational side which we won,” said Townsend.

“I have been selected for the World Championship 26-man squad as one of the four props,” he added.

The Rugby Canada Invitational XV included players from the senior men’s team, the Canadian Direct Insurance Premier League and the Canadian Under-20 trial squad.

Hereford-born-and-bred Townsend is a first-team member of the strong Hartpury College side which has won three titles this season.

The former Bishop of Hereford’s Bluecoat School pupil qualifies to play for Canada through his Canadian grandmother.

Canada will be competing in Pool D at the World Championship alongside Wales, Australia and Tonga. They are playing all their pool matches at the Best Amenity Stadium in Fukuoka.

Canada’s first match is against Australia on June 5.