EMMITSBURG, Md. (July 25, 2026) – Mount St. Mary's rising sophomore Alfie Booth will represent the United States as a member of the USA Rugby U20 team at the Junior World Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia, beginning later this week.
 
Booth – wrapping up his freshman year – sees this opportunity as the culmination of playing a sport he has competed in since he was six years old and began to embrace as an adolescent.
 
"I played for a couple of years, getting to know the sport a bit," Booth said. "Came back to it around 13 or 14, when I went to a rugby-oriented high school. It was a big part of the culture, and everyone aspired to be part of the program. Friends would get together to play for fun, and then it began to get more competitive. When I watched from afar, I wanted to get back into it, so I was fortunate to pick it back up."
 
His background and training were not in the United States, but in the United Kingdom, where he grew up in Newcastle upon Tyne. Booth's window to compete for the United States came from his mother's side of the family.
 
"My mom's from South Bend, Indiana, and my dad's from the UK. I decided to come here to finish my schooling and allow me to be closer to my [mom's side of the] family, since I did the rest of my schooling in the UK. That was a big drawing point for me. It's such a privilege."
 
This is not Booth's first experience competing for the United States.
 
"I did it last summer coming into the school. I competed for the U18 squad that went to Argentina and Uruguay. We had two games against Argentine academies and an international fixture in Uruguay, and it was a surreal experience. It was amazing for me and my family and gave me a sense of pride and something to push for entering the U20 phase. I wanted to stick with it, and even though I wasn't born here, it holds a special place for me, and I'm extremely proud to represent and wear the flag."
 
Going into this tournament, Booth and his fellow competitors are looking to reestablish prominence for the American team, which is competing in the tournament for the first time since 2013. The Junior World Championship takes place every four years and features the top 16 qualified teams. Booth is one of 30 athletes making the trip to Georgia.
 
"It's a lot to carry, but it's something I'm excited for, and there's a lot of learning to be done. There's next year as well, since I'm at the bottom of the age group. So, I want to learn as much as possible and take that into next year."
 
"Alfie's work rate is what sets him apart," said Mount Director of Rugby and Men's Head Coach Jay Myles. "He brings the same intensity to every training session that he brings to a test match, and that standard has rubbed off on everyone around him. We couldn't be prouder of what he's accomplished, and even prouder of how he's gone about it."
 
His journey to playing for the Mount was one full of twists and turns. After plans to attend a different college fell through, his U20 coach, Johannes "Neets" Gericke, pitched him on the Mount's rugby program.
 
"He [Gericke] recommended it as a place for good personal development, because he knows the coaching staff quite well. After one call to Assistant Coach [Mike] Kiefer, I was pretty much set."
 
Despite arriving on campus sight unseen, Booth established himself as a valued member of the squad, playing the prop position.
 
"It's in the front row of the scrum. You work hard, make tackles, and get the ball to the backs. We're involved in a lot of set pieces – scrums and lineouts are a big part of our job. It's probably the most physical position on the field, so I'm seeing the athletic trainer on a regular basis after games."
 
Booth took on the position with several new challenges at the collegiate level, competing in his first season with the Mountaineers.
 
"This season I primarily played on the loosehead. I got the chance to play in the majority of the games despite having a couple of injuries. It's been a new environment, playing against opponents up to four years older than me. In the UK, the highest you can go is two years, so a four-year gap is a big physical step up, but it's been something I've enjoyed."
 
Hopes are high that this tournament, along with his time at the Mount, will serve as a springboard for bigger and better things in the sport.
 
"Getting the men's first team cap is something only a select few can do, so that's a huge goal of mine. Playing professionally in Major League Rugby is also something I'd like to look at. It would be a great opportunity coming out of this school."
 
Until then, Booth also has high hopes for his collegiate squad.
 
"I want to help build the scene and culture around rugby and make it bigger. We can get better with recruiting, build the program, and strengthen its reputation."
 
"Alfie represents everything we want this program to be about," Myles added. "He's humble, he competes, and he cares about the guys next to him as much as he cares about himself. Representing the United States on this stage is a tremendous honor, and wherever his career takes him from here, he's going to be an incredible ambassador for Mount St. Mary's University."
 
Matches take place at Avchala Stadium in Tbilisi. The USA takes on Argentina (June 27), England (July 2), and Ireland (July 7). Games are played in the 15s format of rugby.