The Country Day School's Eric Selvaggi helped the U- 17 Men's Rugby Team Canada win the Millfield Rugby festival in Somerset, England in April. Submitted Photo It's always an honour for athletes in any sport to represent their country.

The Country Day School's Eric Selvaggi had that honour with the U-17 Men's Rugby Team Canada, as he helped them win the Millfield Rugby festival in Somerset, England in early April with a perfect 3-0 record.

The Grade 10 student trained with the team in Wales, then the outside centre played an intricate part in the rugby festival, where Canada beat Portugal 25-12, Romania 48-0, and upset France 38-15.

"It's a huge honour to play for my country," said the 15-year-old Woodbridge resident. "The feeling in the dressing room and walking onto the field before the game was just indescribable. I was anxious and my heart was beating, but I got on the field, made that first tackle, got my hands on the ball for the first time and ran with it, my nerves calmed and I just played my game."

Selvaggi first developed an interest for rugby in Grade 7 at CDS, while playing as an inside centre for the U-14 CDS Cyclones boys' team and it just took off from there.

He's also played with his club team, the Aurora Barbarians and provincially with Team Ontario.

Recently Selvaggi led the U-16 (junior) CDS Cyclones to a 41-24 win over Upper Canada College, scoring two tries (as a fly-half) in the Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association (CISAA) junior boys' rugby final on Saturday (May 24).

"Our boys were down 5- 0," said CDS junior rugby Coach Andy MacMillan. "But you can't stop a Cyclone when it gets its momentum, and after taking a 7-5 lead, CDS never looked back."

The undefeated Cyclones (7-0) beat Trinity College 36-17 in the semi-final last month.

Aside from his impressive rugby resume, Selvaggi's athletic ability doesn't end there. He also plays lacrosse, soccer, AA hockey for the Toronto Royals and has been a fixture for U-14 and U-16 hockey teams for CDS.

"Eric is an incredibly gifted young athlete," said CDS Cyclones U-18 boys' rugby coach and Selvaggi mentor, Sandy Townsend (in a press release). "I have had the opportunity to watch him play rugby and offer him some words of advice. He is a good communicator on the field and understands the game."

"He is a powerful runner and knows no fear when taking on players twice his size," added Townsend, of the six-foot-one, 205-pound Selvaggi. "I look forward to having him on my team during the 2009 rugby season."

So, what's next for this powerful Cyclone?

"I want to make the U-17 Team Canada again next year," he explained. "Also, maybe one day play for the Senior Men's Team Canada at a World Cup, as well as university rugby possibly in BC."