It looks like the British & Irish Lions will get a tough work out in Newcastle on Tuesday, 11 June ahead of their clash with the Waratahs after Combined Country coach Cameron Blades selected 18 Super Rugby players in his initial squad.
Blades named a 43-man preliminary squad today that also contains seven NSW Country, seven Queensland County and 11 Premier Club players. The final matchday 23 will be announced on Friday, 31 May, with the squad coming into camp in Newcastle on Thursday, 6 June.
Brumbies players Tom Cox and Fotu Auelua both played in the midweek fixture against Wales last summer and a number of others have been Super Rugby regulars in their respective teams this season.
“The final make-up of the side will rely on a number of factors. We’ll look at form and fitness and in the case of the Super Rugby players we’ll be reliant upon their franchises agreeing to release them for this match,” said Blades.
“We’ve done a lot of work with ARU and the Super Rugby sides over the last few months and we are aware that some of the guys that would be considered may ultimately not be available.
“There are still Super Rugby matches occurring right up until the Sunday before our match, so we completely understand if a Franchise requires their players to be available for their campaign.
“Our goal is to put the strongest 23-man squad together to face the Lions and ultimately we’d like as many of the Super Rugby players named today to be able to be considered for final selection. It is an ongoing process and we’ll continue to work closely with the Super Rugby sides.”
Combined Country XV Squad Rikki Abraham (Prop) QLD Country Dale Ah-Wong (Wing) QLD Country Rory Arnold (Lock) QLD Country Fotu Auelua (No 8) (Brumbies) Phoenix Battye (Lock) Western Force Corey Brown (Wing) Norths Jarrad Butler (Back row) Queensland Reds Sam Carter (Lock) Brumbies Tom Carter (Centre) Waratahs Lewie Catt (Centre) NSW Country Duncan Chubb (Prop) Southern Districts Tom Cox (Wing) Brumbies Sam Cox (Fly half) Easts Sean Cox (Centre) Easts Ben Daley (Prop) Queensland Reds Tim Davidson (Back row) Melbourne Rebels Trent Dyer (Back row) Melbourne Rebels Blake Enever (Lock) Queensland Reds Alex Gibbon (Centre/Wing) Southern Districts Elliot Hagan (Full back/Wing) UQ Nic Henderson (Prop) Melbourne Rebels David Hickey (Back row) Sydney University Haydn Hirsimaki (Prop) QLD Country Jed Holloway (Back row) Waratahs Greg Holmes (Prop) Queensland Reds Tom Kearney (Hooker) QLD Country Josh Mann-Rae (Hooker) Brumbies Shaun McCarthy (Fly half) QLD Country Adam McCormack (Half back) NSW Country Tim Metcher (Prop) Southern Districts Peter Nau (Hooker) NSW Country Don Nepia (Full back) NSW Country Dan Palmer (Prop) Brumbies Angus Roberts (Fly half/Full back) Melbourne Rebels Beau Robinson (Back row) Queensland Reds Tereta-Junior Siakisini (Centre) QLD Country Eli Sinoti (Wing) NSW Country Michael Snowden (Half back) Western Force Richard Stanford (Lock) Eastern Suburbs Earnest Suavai (Centre/Wing) Brothers Paul Taula (No 8) NSW Country Nathan Trist (Full back/Wing) Sydney University
