Rugby union: New England men to line up at Country Championships

It's been a battle to get a side together with several players from around the Zone unavailable but they've got a squad who coach Andrew Jack believes will be competitive.

"With the help of players outside the zone and family members we have managed to put a pretty handy squad together," he said.

"Our strengths is our youth and speed, and they're fit.

"We are playing against some older sides, they will have size and all the rest of it but our guys will just work to our strengths and go from there."

Tamworth have the largest contingent of players in the squad with seven, followed by the Armidale Blues with six.

The Barbarians have three representatives while reigning premiers St Albert's College have two players. Glen Innes has one.

Robb is not represented while outside of the New England Zone, players from Bathurst, Tamworth Pirates and Barraba have joined.

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Jack was thankful to the Zone committee members who pulled the squad together.

"[It wouldn't have happened] without the help of Luke and Catherine Stephen, my assistant coach Tim McLean who is probably one of the best forward coaches in the district, they have helped out," he said.

"And to the guys who have stepped up. There's a few sides who could have been a bit more forthcoming but people like the Barbarians and Blues, Magpies, have all really stepped up to plate."

New England has been pooled with Western Plains, who they play first on the Pirates field at 10am, as well as Hunter, who were in the top tier Caldwell Cup competition last year.

Jack said it will be a tough contest but believes the squad has every chance of qualifying for the finals matches.

"We got in with a view that we have a chance of winning a game," he said.

"If we win a game we will get into the finals."

In the side's favour is the fact they have had the chance to train as a squad on multiple occasions.

"We have had four training runs together which is probably a lot more than other sides.

"We just had to make the effort to travel to Armidale and put the squads together and go from there."

Jack said they will have to lift every time they step on to the field.

"What they have been playing in first grade, they have to take that up another 50 per cent," he said.

Squad: 1 Ben Hamparsum (St Albert's College) 2 Jioji Cakacaka (Pirates) 3 Harry Mills (Tamworth) 4 Daniel Goddard (Armidale Blues) 5 Ross Widett (Tamworth) 6 Tom Morgan (Armidale Blues) 7 Brock Bayes (Tamworth) 8 Paea Taulaga (Barbarians) 9 Liam Salmon (Armidale Blues) 10 Eddie Pitt (Barbarians) 11 Michael Paull (Armidale Blues) 12 Blake Clout (Tamworth) 13 Will Makim (St Albert's College) 14 Mitch Bowen (Tamworth) 15 Adam Mrtynek (Barbarians) 17 Sam White (Tamworth) 19 Sean McLachlan (Bathurst Bulldogs 21 Tom Goddard (Armidale Blues) 22 Josh Sloane (Barraba) 24 Ryan Miller (Armidale Blues) 25 Campbell Harrison (Glen Innes).

Coach Andrew Jack and Tim McLean

Manager Catherine Stephen

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