Eagles squad capable of going one better
The NSW Country Eagles have named a squad capable of going one better, ahead of their NRC opener on Sunday.
The core that took the team to the grand final last year, where they fell to Perth Spirit, is still there, with some exciting additions from both the Australian U20s and Shute Shield.
Prop Harry Johnson-Holmes is one of those exciting Australian U20s additions, with Lachlan Swinton also having played a part in the World Rugby U20s Championship run.
Having signed with the Warathahs, Tom Staniforth will be looking for a big NRC campaign, with Warringah Rats and former Australian Schoolboys star Maclean Jones another notable addition.
Mitch Short will be looking to turn a Western Force debut into regular NRC minutes, while Kyle Godwin, Andrew Kellaway, Alex Newsome and Reece Robinson will form the core of a backline that carved teams up in 2016.
On the Wallabies front, Tom Robertson, Ned Hanigan, Bernard Foley, Sekope Kepu and Kurtley Beale have been named.
That may be more negative than positive, though, as all five are regulars in Michael Cheika's best 23.
SQUAD
Eagles squad for the NRC
Samuel Needs
Harry Johnson-Holmes
Paddy Ryan
Cameron Betham
Matt Gibbon
Connal McInerney
Brandon Paenga-Amosa
Tolu Latu
Ryan McCauley
Lachlan Swinton
Tim Buchanan
Tom Staniforth
Rohan O'Regan
Nick Kellaway
Pat McCutcheon
Maclean Jones
Rowan Perry
Sam Ward
Jake Gordon
Mitch Short
Archie King
Tayler Adams
Jock Armstrong
Kyle Godwin
Tom Hill
Seb Wileman
Alex Newsome
Tyson Davis
Lachie Anderson
Andrew Kellaway
Alex Gibbon
Christian Kagiassis
Henry Clunies-Ross
Reece Robinson
Aligned Wallabies
Tom Robertson
Ned Hanigan
Kurtley Beale
Sekope Kepu
Bernard Foley
