Mount Men's Rugby Player Is Trying Out for International Team

Doug O’Donnell, a freshman loose forward on the Mount St. Mary’s University men’s rugby team, is among 64 players from around the world who has been chosen to travel to Hong Kong to try out for a U19 15s international select team called the Overseas Lions.

O'Donnell, whose mother is of Chinese descent, has been in Hong Kong since December 17 training and participating in tryouts. O'Donnell is one of 35 players to make the final selections announced today. If he is among the 23 players ultimately selected for the team, he would play in the 2019 Prudential Youth Tournament on January 1 in a match against the Hong Kong Dragons. The Hong Kong Rugby Union also uses this selection process and the game to identify players for future teams and tournaments, namely the Asian U18 7s, Asian U19 15s and the Junior World Rugby Trophy.

"This is an incredible opportunity for Doug," said Men's Rugby Coach Jay Myles, who has been in regular contact with O'Donnell during the tryouts. "He will get great international exposure and potential future opportunities. We are very proud of him."

O’Donnell, from Manassas, Virginia, is a graduate of Stonewall Jackson High School.