Pirates' trio Erika Maslen, Andrew Collins and Rosie Ferguson to play for NSW Country in Australian Rugby Shield

First, despite being at the forefront of a scrum that in both games destroyed their opposition, the Central North co-captain wasn't included in the initial Cockatoos training squad.

Then after getting the call-up, the Pirates prop thought he'd blown his chance when he had to leave the training camp before it finished to catch his flight back to Tamworth.

"Training finished at five, my flight back was at 4.15pm (which was the last one back) so I missed the whole scrummaging session and opposed session," he said.

Probably the two best opportunities to show off his skills.

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In what was a bit of a comedy of errors, he then didn't hear anything about the final squad

"They forgot to ring me," Collins said.

"Then Timmy (Kookaburras team-mate Tim McDermott, who was also selected in the training squad but was unfortunately unable to attend the trials) rang me (when the team went up) and said is that you who made Country or another player with the same name?."

Turns out there was an Andrew Collins named but he was listed as coming from the Far North Coast rather than Central North.

After getting in contact with the manager it was confirmed that yes it was him, and he would be headed to Adelaide for the Australian Rugby Shield.

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He will be joined by club-mates Erika Maslen and Rosie Ferguson after they were both selected in the women's (Corellas) squad.

They fly out on Tuesday ahead of the start of the championships on Thursday.

Maslen and Ferguson are fresh from tasting premiership success with Pirates' women's side.

Both are also celebrating individual acknowledgement with Ferguson last week announced in the University of Newcastle squad for the upcoming National 7s series, while Maslen won the Lou Wilson and Ali Faulkner Cup as the best and fairest under-21s player for the 2022 Central North season.

She is no stranger to the Country gold having represented in junior sides on numerous occasions.

"It's always a big honour to get into Country," Maslen said.

Her first time involved with the Corellas, she is "super excited" to get down to Adelaide.

"It will be awesome," she said.

"Just to even play alongside the girls that are in the Country side and learn off them."

Picked in the front row, it will be a nice way to cap off what has in her opinion been one of her best seasons.

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Coming back from a lengthy lay-off, due to an ACL injury, Maslen admits, she did question whether she could "perform to the way I was".

But she built into the season well and was one of the Kookaburras' and Pirates best.

For Ferguson, it will be her first time pulling on the Country gold.

Selected in the Corellas squad last year only for COVID to result in their games being cancelled, she was "pretty stoked" to make the final squad and get another opportunity. Especially too after picking up a second grade calf tear two weeks before the training camp.

"It feels good to be able to make the squad," she said, adding that it "kind of seals that you're worthy enough to be in the squad".

Unable to really do too much at the camp, it was a "nerve-racking" wait for the squad to be named.

"Obviously, I could only do the skills really. I was only just running again," she said.

She was also conscious of not pushing herself too hard and tearing it again. That would have likely meant season over.

"I didn't want to do that to my Pirates girls, but I also wanted to make the team," she added.

"I didn't play the trial game they had at the end, I was just running water, so I was hoping they'd seen enough of the day."

The Corellas have the hosts (South Australia) first up while the Cockatoos tackle the Tasmanian Jack Jumpers.

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