NSW Country Coackatoos fly South

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NSW Country LogoFollowing on from the decision by the Queensland Country Rugby Union to cancel the annual Cockatoos v Blue Heelers clash, the GrainCorp NSW Country Cockatoos will now “fly south for the winter” to South Australia to take on the Adelaide Black Falcons.

The match against the Black Falcons will be the first between NSWCRU and SARU since the Australian Rugby Shield clash in 2008, which saw the Cockatoos claim the ARS Shield in what was the last ever match in that competition.

So far this season the GrainCorp NSW Country Cockatoos have retained the Maher / Ross Cup from NSW Suburban at Terrigal, claimed the inaugural Geoff Richardson Cup over Australian Services in Singleton and experienced the power and pace of the Australian U20’s at Chatswood.

This will be the first match for the Cockatoos in six weeks, but with spots up for grabs on the USA Tour later in the year, the players and team will be keen to finish the season on a high.

Cockatoos Coach Shannon Fraser is confident the team will phone number list slip back into gear after the break, but is aware he will be missing a few players due to work, injury or suspension. Auvasa Falealli (Halfback), Lachlan McCutcheon (Lock), Lee Russell (Centre) and Andre Itula (Winger) will not be making the trip south, but replacements have been brought in from the extended squad and from the Cockatoo Colts.

Colts Halfback Matthew King from the Central Coast has been called up to the Cockatoos for the Black Falcons’ match, which once again shows the representative pathway exists for players via NSW Country Rugby Union.

Shannon Fraser said “whilst it was disappointing some players were unavailable, it was a fact of life with Country Rugby, and that he was confident the replacement players would more than do the job for the Cockatoos”.

“The Adelaide Black Falcons are an unknown quantity, but traditionally they have always extended the Cockatoos, and the Cockatoos won’t be taking them lightly in what will be their last match of the season” added Fraser.

The GrainCorp NSW Country Cockatoos v Adelaide Black Falcons match will be played on Saturday, 12 July 2014 at Gleneagles Reserve, Woodville kicking off at 7.30pm.

Cockatoos Squad v Adelaide Black Flacons

Andrew Barrett (Wollongong Vikings), Scott Burgess (Dubbo Roos), Ben Damen (Wollongbar Alstonville), Mahe Fangupo (Parkes), Ben Greentree (Camden), Mitch Hardy (Shoalhaven), Gavin Holder (Camden), Matt King (Ourimbah), Steve Lamont (Hamilton), Adam McCormack (Hastings Valley), Mark Minter (Camden), Peter Nau (Dubbo Roos), Filiasone Patua (Dubbo Roos), Chris Plunkett (Bathurst), Dan Ryan (Parkes), Eli Sinoti (Avondale), James Smith (Shoalhaven), Josh Stewart (Tamworth Pirates), Joe Taylor (Terrigal), Hayden Tidswell (Bathurst), Paul Tuala (Wollongong University) & Amoni Vea (Parkes).