Fredericton's Emil Sehic and Sussex-native Bryce Worden are heading to Portugal to represent Canada at the second-tier of world junior rugby.

Canada kicks off the eight-term World Rugby Under-20 Trophy tournament on Tuesday against Namibia.

Emil Sehic is one of two New Brunswickers who will play for Canada in the World Rugby Under-20 Trophy competition. (Redmond Shannon / CBC) Sehic took up the sport less than three years ago at Leo Hayes High School.

"The whole club mentalit and friendliness really drew me toward the sport. Tackling was tricky to learn but I got it down now," said the 19-year-old.

"I'm just really focused on going out there, giving it my all when I get the chance, and try to make our country proud. It's a huge honour and you've got to do your best."

Fredericton Loyalists coach Keith McAlpine says Sehic didn't take long to get used to the physical nature of the sport.

"He's had a really meteoric rise to fame, as it were. He comes from a soccer background and that's actually stood him in good stead, you know, some of his foot skills." he said.

"And he just developed the sort of hard edge, that perhaps soccer doesn't have, for the contact."

McAlpine says Sehic is carrying on a tradition of Loyalist players who have gone on to play for the national team.

"A couple of years ago we celebrated our 50th anniversary, which was great, and in that time, Simon Pacey has become the first to go all the way to the full national team and Jebb Sinclair has followed, and we have Emil now at the under-20 level."

Fredericton's Jebb Sinclair has played 43 times for the senior men's national team. He plays professionally in England and will be an important part of Canada's squad for the Rugby World Cup this fall.

The current under-20 squad is dominated by players from British Columbia and Ontario, but Sehic says two qualifying victories over the United States gave them time to build a strong team spirit.

"Over the course of four or five camps, and coming together earlier before the U.S.A. qualification games, we really did have time to get chemistry and gel together," he said.

Canada will also play games against Hong Kong and Tonga. If Canada can win the 2015 Trophy, it will qualify for the 2016 U-20 World Cup.