NSW Country - - - NRC Official Team Thread

[the baz]

i spent many years working within country rugby clubs and zones, and rarely saw james grant, other than at city events or ARU functions.Maybe he has lost touch with the WHOLE country rugby picture.If he thinks that players can stay in the country and move onto professional rugby careers, he is out of touch. Many country players go to the city to test the waters, and they are home pretty quickly (not all though). They are big fish in a small pond going to be small fish in a big pond. Sincerely hope the eagles are a success, but c'mon James, be realistic. This is great for country rugby, dont get me wrong, but much like the Central coasts efforts to play in the shute shield... they will last one season. Costs against results was too great.

 

[Dowlo90]

Beau will most likely be playing for QLD Country

Mate, there's a few; but as we all know, they'll also be eligible for other NRC teams, so it will be up to the ARU / RUPA to influence how many actually play for Country:

'Country Origin' Super Rugby players
Ryan (Wallabies?), Tilse, Mann-Rae, R. Walton, Battye, S. Carter, Douglas (Wallabies?), Holloway, McCutcheon, Dyer, McCalman (Wallabies?), Burgess (Wallabies?), White (Wallabies?), Roberts, Dellit

Current / recent 'Country Origin' Shute Shield players
Metcher, McNamara, Chubb, Hobden, Stanford, Matwijow, Miller, Hickey, Connor, Walker, Snowden, Toby Browne (would he come back?), Dunbar, Seavula, Azar (has he retired?), T. Carter, John Grant, Gibbon, Reti, M. Walton, Harry Bennett, Ford

Top those guys off with a selection of some Easts / Wicks Super players - from: Hoiles, Gray, McKibben, Horwitz, Lance, CTM, Carraro.

Plus some Easts / Wicks Shute Shield guys - from: Asa, Lam, Baldwin, Windon.

Add a few current Cockatoos, like Evans, Smith and Gilbert.

There will be a competitive squad, which the NSW Country supporter base will hopefully identify with.

From that this list alone best case scenario team IMO would be

1. Paddy Ryan 2. Joshua Mann- Rae 3. Jeremy Tilse 4. Sam Carter 5. Kane Douglas 6. Hoiles 7. Pat Mcutcheon 8. Ben McCalman 9. Nick White/ Luke Burgess 10. Angus Roberts 11. John Grant 12. Matt Carraro13. Alex Gibbon 14. Henry Seavula 15. Jono Lance.

 

[Dowlo90]

Franchise officially confirmed by the Pulveriser today.

@Rugby Reg beats the NSW Franchises to get the first team thread up.

Time for those in the know to spill the beans. There is a tonne of work to be done in a short space of time.

Details please:
Coach/s:
Colours:
Playing strip:
Logo:
Playing Roster:
Membership Packages:
Food and Beverage options at the BBQ:
Nickname:
Home venues:

How will this work?
"And in a wonderful development for rugby a NSW Country team … both Easts and Randwick will have an association with the NSW Country team who will actually be based out of Moore Park" - Bill Pulver

Coach/s: Darren Coleman
Colours: Black and Yellow
Playing strip: TBC
Logo:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/8c/New_South_Wales_Country_Eagles_logo.png
Playing Roster: TBC
Membership Packages: TBC
Food and Beverage options at the BBQ:
Nickname: Country
Home venues: Iv been everywhere man!

 

[the baz]

Mate, there's a few; but as we all know, they'll also be eligible for other NRC teams, so it will be up to the ARU / RUPA to influence how many actually play for Country:

'Country Origin' Super Rugby players
Ryan (Wallabies?), Tilse, Mann-Rae, R. Walton, Battye, S. Carter, Douglas (Wallabies?), Holloway, McCutcheon, Dyer, McCalman (Wallabies?), Burgess (Wallabies?), White (Wallabies?), Roberts, Dellit

Current / recent 'Country Origin' Shute Shield players
Metcher, McNamara, Chubb, Hobden, Stanford, Matwijow, Miller, Hickey, Connor, Walker, Snowden, Toby Browne (would he come back?), Dunbar, Seavula, Azar (has he retired?), T. Carter, John Grant, Gibbon, Reti, M. Walton, Harry Bennett, Ford

Top those guys off with a selection of some Easts / Wicks Super players - from: Hoiles, Gray, McKibben, Horwitz, Lance, CTM, Carraro.

Plus some Easts / Wicks Shute Shield guys - from: Asa, Lam, Baldwin, Windon.

Add a few current Cockatoos, like Evans, Smith and Gilbert.

There will be a competitive squad, which the NSW Country supporter base will hopefully identify with.

country origin shute shield - Norths first grade second rower Matt white is a up and comer, and was a former nsw country, junior.

 

[Iluvmyfooty]

From that this list alone best case scenario team IMO would be

1. Paddy Ryan 2. Joshua Mann- Rae 3. Jeremy Tilse 4. Sam Carter 5. Kane Douglas 6. Hoiles 7. Pat Mcutcheon 8. Ben McCalman 9. Nick White/ Luke Burgess 10. Angus Roberts 11. John Grant 12. Matt Carraro13. Alex Gibbon 14. Henry Seavula 15. Jono Lance.

This is what i don't get. I thought one of the reasons of the NRC was to help develop players identified as being able to progress to the 2nd tier. In the team above there are 10 players already playing Super Rugby, some of which are more senior players now rather than up and comers. Players like Matwijo and White from Norths (mentioned above) are young (23 and 21 respectively) who I thought would be ideal for inclusion in the team for development.

I know people will say that it is a recognised comp and the idea is to win it and I agree, but can't you win it and develop players at the same time. Having a team that is made up of so many older and tried but not proven players is not the way to go.

 

[MACCA]

This is what i don't get. I thought one of the reasons of the NRC was to help develop players identified as being able to progress to the 2nd tier. In the team above there are 10 players already playing Super Rugby, some of which are more senior players now rather than up and comers. Players like Matwijo and White from Norths (mentioned above) are young (23 and 21 respectively) who I thought would be ideal for inclusion in the team for development.

I know people will say that it is a recognised comp and the idea is to win it and I agree, but can't you win it and develop players at the same time. Having a team that is made up of so many older and tried but not proven players is not the way to go.

I think you will find that many of the players mentioned as being candidates for these NRC squads wont be available.
That is hearsay on my part. I still believe there will be many up & comers.

 

[Eyes and Ears]

And a few of them would probably choose Uni over country.

 

[Pete King]

And a few of them would probably choose Uni over country.

disagree

 

[Intruder]

From that this list alone best case scenario team IMO would be

1. Paddy Ryan 2. Joshua Mann- Rae 3. Jeremy Tilse 4. Sam Carter 5. Kane Douglas 6. Hoiles 7. Pat Mcutcheon 8. Ben McCalman 9. Nick White/ Luke Burgess 10. Angus Roberts 11. John Grant 12. Matt Carraro13. Alex Gibbon 14. Henry Seavula 15. Jono Lance.

Carter (Not available - Act 1st choice)
McCalman (Not available - PTW / WA 1st choice)
Nick White (Not available - PTW / Act 1st choice)
Luke Burgess (Not available - Vic 1st choice)
Douglas (Not available - Overseas / PTW)
Alex Gibbon (Not available - 7s Australia)

Ryan (PTW / Stars / Country)
McCutcheon (Stars / Country)
Tilse (Stars / Country)

Man-Rae (Available)
Hoiles (Available)
Angus Roberts (Available)
John Grant (Available)
Matt Carraro (Available)
Henry Seavula (Available)
Jonno Lance (Available)

*PTW = Potential touring Wallabies

 

[MACCA]

Carter (Not available - Act 1st choice)
McCalman (Not available - PTW / WA 1st choice)
Nick White (Not available - PTW / Act 1st choice)
Luke Burgess (Not available - Vic 1st choice)
Douglas (Not available - Overseas / PTW)
Alex Gibbon (Not available - 7s Australia)

Ryan (PTW / Stars / Country)
McCutcheon (Stars / Country)
Tilse (Stars / Country)

Man-Rae (Available)
Hoiles (Available)
Angus Roberts (Available)
John Grant (Available)
Matt Carraro (Available)
Henry Seavula (Available)
Jonno Lance (Available)

*PTW = Potential touring Wallabies

That sure leaves a lot of spots vacant

 

[Intruder]

That sure leaves a lot of spots vacant

Just remember at the moment each NRC team will get 16 super rugby players each. Western Force & Melbourne Rebels players will have extra players to fill in other sides apart from their own.

For e.g. NSW Country could potentially have guys like Cruize Ah Nau or a Zack Holmes, not necessarily 1st choice selections in their province but will need to get transferred to another NRC side for game time despite the connection the player has to that team. Players have also put in their top 2 preferences of which team they would like to play in if their original club affiliation falls through.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Many of the Western Force playing roster are not the first choice products of their former NSW or QLD rugby factories. Look at what has happened with them.

Same with the Ponies when they started up. Some of the fish that John West rejects isn't too bad.

 

[Forcefield]

McCalman (Not available - PTW / WA 1st choice)

I'd be happy to give up McCalman to the NSW Country team. WA has some talented young backrowers who would do well from getting a chance at a higher level. The Spirit team should not be about selecting their best X number of Super Players. We should be about getting as many local players ready for Super Rugby as possible.

 

[MACCA]

I'd be happy to give up McCalman to the NSW Country team. WA has some talented young backrowers who would do well from getting a chance at a higher level. The Spirit team should not be about selecting their best X number of Super Players. We should be about getting as many local players ready for Super Rugby as possible.

I think the Eagles will comprise 6 or 8 players each from Easts & Randwick, the balance from Super 15. I would review those lists for a good start for the possible squad.

 

[Iluvmyfooty]

So Macca you think any other Country origin players currently with other clubs will not get a look in with the Country side

 

[MACCA]

So Macca you think any other Country origin players currently with other clubs will not get a look in with the Country side

Don't know. I think they will apply the criteria fairly loosely.
They will try to get as many good prospects in as they can and will apply the rules to achieve this end.
Yesterdays Easts V Randwick game would also be a quasi selection trial. Did anyone spot the candidates for the Eagles from that?

 

[Iluvmyfooty]

Thanks Macca my question was in response to your post the the squad would be made up of Super players and Randwick and Easts players (irrespective of their origins). I really hope that they cast their net throughout all the clubs and look at all the country origin players playing Shute Shield

 

[Iluvmyfooty]

After yesterday's game between the 20's and Country I repeat my belief that Country based players would not make the side competitive.

 

[MACCA]

I ag

After yesterday's game between the 20's and Country I repeat my belief that Country based players would not make the side competitive.

I agree.
From that the standard is not there.

 

[Pete King]

Don't know. I think they will apply the criteria fairly loosely.
They will try to get as many good prospects in as they can and will apply the rules to achieve this end.
Yesterdays Easts V Randwick game would also be a quasi selection trial. Did anyone spot the candidates for the Eagles from that?

Randwicks best players are Toa Asa, Tom Conor (all though small), Will Munro Ethan ford and windon. Kellway might get a look in too.