SIX talented young northerners will don the gold of Country in Canberra on Sunday.
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Central North's Jhett Butler, Nathan Watts, Doughal O'Reilly and Jacob Williams, and New England's Josh Jones and Ben Ben Hampersum will line up for either the Cockatoos 14s, 15s or 16s against their Brumbies Provincial counterparts.
The games will serve as a warm-up for the Country sides for their annual grudge clash against City in Kiama next weekend.
Always a highlight, it will conclude the program for the 14s and 15s.
The 16s have a tour to New Zealand later in the year, which incidentally departs on O’Reilly's birthday.
The combined Quirindi/Scone/Gunnedah junior will play in the second row for the Cockatoos 16s and be joined by Hampersum (TAS) and Williams.
The Guyra native and Barraba junior (William) will play on the wing, after forcing his way into the squad for the Canberra trip with impressive performances at the recent Regional Championships in Sydney, where his Country Bs team usurped the As.
“We beat the A team and had about four draws,” Williams said.
This year is only his second of union.
“I played league since I was nine,” he said.
Watts and Jones will both play for the 15s, Watts in the second row and Jones at six, while Butler will play for the 14s. He'll figure either in the centres or on the wing.
After heading down on Friday the boys will train at the Australian Institute of Sport on Saturday, ahead of the games at Queenbeyan on Sunday.