{{for|the Irish actor|Stuart Townsend}} {{Infobox rugby biography | name = Stu Townsend | image = | birth_name = Stuart Townsend | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|10|11|df=y}} | birth_place = Torbay, England | death_date = | death_place = | height = 5ft 5in | weight = 225lbs | school = | university = | position = Scrum half | currentclub = Harlequins | years1 = 2012–2025 | clubs1 = Exeter Chiefs | apps1 = 121 | points1 = 100 | years2 = 2013–2014 | clubs2 = → Taunton ''<small>(loan)</small>'' | apps2 = 13 | points2 = 45 | years3 = 2014–2017 | clubs3 = → Cornish Pirates ''<small>(loan)</small>'' | apps3 = 35 | points3 = 25 | years4 = 2025– | clubs4 = Harlequins | apps4 = 0 | points4 = 0 | repyears1 = 2014–2015 | repteam1 = England U20 | repcaps1 = 9 | reppoints1 = 15 | clubupdate = 17 July 2025 | repupdate = 17 July 2019 }} '''Stu Townsend''' (born 11 October 1995) is an English professional rugby union player who plays scrum-half for Premiership Rugby club Harlequins.<ref>{{cite web |title=Stu Townsend Profile |url=https://www.quins.co.uk/profile/stu-townsend |publisher=Harlequins |access-date=14 July 2025}}</ref>
==Early life== Born in Torbay, Townsend was first introduced to rugby as a six-year-old at his local club Kingsbridge. He was educated at the local Primary and Community College before attending Ivybridge Community College, where he joined the Exeter Chiefs Academy system.{{citation needed|date=May 2018}}
==Early career== Townsend featured for England at various age levels, including that of the Under-20s,{{citation needed|date=May 2018}} and also in the National Leagues with both Taunton Titans and the Cornish Pirates.{{citation needed|date=May 2018}}
==Club career== ===Exeter Chiefs=== After playing regularly in the Championship Townsend was recalled to the Chiefs squad midway through the 16/17 season after injuries to fellow nines, Dave Lewis and Will Chudley.
After a number of appearances off the bench both in the Premiership and Europe, on his first full starting appearance he scored a try against Leicester Tigers at Welford Road.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.exeterchiefs.co.uk/players/stu-townsend|title=Exeter Chiefs Player List|website=www.exeterchiefs.co.uk|language=en-gb|access-date=2018-03-12}}</ref> He started the final as Exeter Chiefs defeated Wasps to be crowned champions of the 2016-17 English Premiership.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/40018239 |title=Premiership final: Wasps 20-23 Exeter Chiefs (aet) |publisher=BBC |date=27 May 2017 |accessdate=24 September 2018}}</ref>
He scored a try for Exeter in the second minute of the semi-final against Newcastle Falcons to help book a place in the final of the Anglo-Welsh Cup for Exeter to be played against Bath Rugby on the 18 March 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/43344311|title=Anglo-Welsh Cup: Exeter Chiefs 20-17 Newcastle Falcons|date=2018-03-09|work=BBC Sport|access-date=2018-03-12|language=en-GB}}</ref> The final was rearranged to March 30 due to snow and Townsend played as the Chiefs won 28-11.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/43582927|title=Anglo-Welsh Cup final: Bath 11-28 Exeter Chiefs|work=BBC Sport |date=29 March 2018|publisher=}}</ref>
After making 106 appearances for Exeter he signed a new contract with the club in May 2024.<ref>{{cite web|website=BBC Sport|date=24 May 2024|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/articles/cjrr9yqq5x7o.amp|title= Townsend and Street sign new Exeter contracts|accessdate=25 May 2024}}</ref>
===Harlequins=== In May 2025, he signed for Harlequins ahead of the following season.<ref>{{cite web |title=Townsend signs at The Stoop |url=https://www.quins.co.uk/article/townsend-signs-at-the-stoop |publisher=Harlequins |access-date=14 July 2025}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Harlequin F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Townsend, Stu}} Category:1995 births Category:Harlequin F.C. players Category:Living people Category:Rugby union scrum-halves Category:English rugby union players Category:People educated at Ivybridge Community College Category:21st-century English sportsmen