TAMWORTH’S Paddy Ryan, Gunnedah’s Angus Roberts and Glen Innes’ Alex Newsome were this week named in a talented 37-strong squad to lead the NSW Country Eagles towards National Rugby Championship glory.
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“The squad comprises of predominantly the three affiliated clubs in Easts, Randwick and Sydney Uni, it is a good mixture of youth and experience with lots of current and future super rugby players on display,” Eagles CEO Peter Playford said.
The squad includes 10 Waratahs, one Brumby and four Australian representatives, and six of last years Eagles squad.
Andrew Kellaway, Reece Robinson and David Horwitz come into the third installment of the NRC with strong Waratahs campaigns behind them and will bolster what will be an attacking, expansive backline that will also feature former Western Force centre Kyle Godwin.
Plagued by injuries over the past two seasons, the 24 year old inside back has been capped 52 times by the Force and has recently signed with the Brumbies. Backrower Sam Figg is also fresh from playing for the Australian Sevens side at the Rio Olympics.
For the Eagles the 2016 edition comes with a greater emphasis and effort to connect with the country. Ryan, Newsome, Roberts and the likes of Ned Hanigan, Charlie Clifton, and Tom Robertson are just a handful of the many players in the squad with meaningful links to the country.
They have spoken of their excitement at playing games in Tamworth and Orange, which will this year be bigger and better than anything the Eagles have done before.
The squad also includes Bernard Foley, Nick Phipps and Dean Mumm as the Eagles allocated Wallabies.
Training began this week and Playford is looking forward to seeing how this largely new look squad would perform in what promises to be the most competitive competition yet.
“We are really excited with the squad we have put together, Darren and the coaching staff have done a great job and all of us are really looking forward to that first game in less than two weeks at Sydney University,” he said. The Eagles open their account against two-time champions Brisbane City on August 27.
NSW Country Eagles: Sam Needs, Tom Robertson, Paddy Ryan, Sonny Suatala, Jed Gillespie, Cam Betham, Folau Faingaa, Tolu Latu, Tim Buchanan, Ryan Mccauley, Ned Hannigan, Will Munro, Jake Wainwright, Rohan O’Regan, Mark Baldwin, Rowan Perry, Sam Ward, Sam Croke, Jake Gordon, Mitch Short, Andrew Deegan, Tayler Adams, David Horwitz, Kyle Godwin, Apakuki Ma’afu, Tom Hill, Alex Newsome, Christian Kagiassis, Reece Robinson, Andrew Kellaway, Angus Roberts, Ernest Suavua, Charlie Clifton, Sam Figg, Bernard Foley, Nick Phipps, Dean Mumm.
