In March at Langford, B.C., Canada scored a pair of wins over Romania (21-9 and 36-13) to get ready for the two games with the U.S, which Canada won 24-23 and 41-6.

"The first game (against the U.S.) was a little scary," Brombal said. "We came back and won it with a kick. We won by one. These were qualifying matches for the world junior trophy so we had to win the next one because if we'd lost by two, we wouldn't make it. We absolutely destroyed them."

For Brombal, his introduction to the sport came from older brothers Trent and Cole.

"I was more of a basketball player," he said. "My brothers started playing (rugby) and I thought it looked like fun. There was contact and you got to run around with the ball, so I tried it."

That led to Brombal joining the under-14 program offered by the Highland Rugby Club of Fergus. The Guelph Redcoats didn't exist then.

"I wasn't the best player, but athletic, I could pass," he said. "As the years came on and I started getting up to U16, I started getting faster and my athleticism got up. 'Wow, this is really fun.' Basketball, instead of being first dropped to second. I was more focused on rugby."

When Brombal played under-16, he tried out for Rugby Ontario's provincial team for the first time.

"I made that and ever since then it's been all about rugby and focusing on how to get better and get to the next level," he said.

He was on Ontario teams that won national championships in under-18 in 2013 and under-19 last year, that second win leading to the invitation to attend the national junior team's tryout camp.

"I made the first camp. It was pretty difficult," Brombal said. "There was a lot of fitness testing and a lot of skills — two-a-days every day. There was another camp after that (early this year) and that was the last camp. Whoever made that was on for the four games we had last month.

"I made that and it was tough — intersquad games every day. By the end of that week you feel like you've run a marathon a day."

While trying out for the national junior team, Brombal changed positions. He's now a scrum half after previously playing as a fly half, fullback and winger. That gives him a few positions he can play.

"If someone gets injured, I can be an alternative and I can play anywhere," he said. "It's good to have that background of playing because it gives me a few options."

Scrum half is now his main position and one he likes.

"I think scrum half is probably the hardest position to learn. You're controlling everyone. It's kind of like the connecting point between the forwards and the backs. You've got to know everyone's name and you've got to be loud. You've got to bully the forwards and bully everyone."

Last summer he played a few games with the Guelph Redcoats in Niagara Rugby Union men's league play and he's hoping to get another chance to do that late this summer. He also played with the James Bay club of Victoria, B.C., after moving there to train for the junior team's tryout camp.

Following the junior trophy tournament, Brombal is likely going to return to B.C. with the hope of playing for a team in a seven-a-side rugby league there.

"It's a faster pace and there's more space for fast guys," he said of the seven-a-side game. "I've played Sevens a lot. I have a lot of experience at Sevens and Sevens is what I like to play, but 15s is awesome, too."

But Sevens is what's to be played at next year's Olympics at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

"I think I'll be out in Vancouver for June or July. There's a Sevens circuit that goes around and I want to get picked up and carded for the men's team," he said. "We'll see what happens from there — maybe Olympics, I hope. That's the dream. That's the goal right now."

First, though, is the world junior trophy tournament.

"The biggest thing is having no regrets," he said. "That's one of the mottos for our team. When you go to a game, you want to play like it's the last game you'll ever play and leave everything on the field. You play for the guy beside you. We're all brothers and we play for each other and for our country."

rmassey@guelphmercury.com