RICHARD Turnbull is preparing to take the Southern Inland representative team into the great unknown as the region returns to the NSW Country Championship for the first time more than a decade this weekend.
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SIRU hasn’t been at Country Week since 2003, but jumped at the chance with the tournament so close to home in Bowral.
They will play Western Plains in their first game on Saturday, with the result of that game determining their next opponent.
However Turnbull doesn’t know what to expect from the area based around towns including Coonamble, Cobar and Bourke but is happy with how his team is shaping.
“I’m a little bit lost when it comes to the NSW Country zones as a whole,” Turnbull said.
“I don’t know much about any of the teams.”
The team had its first training run last week with a final hit out at Conolly Rugby Complex on Thursday.
“I think they are going well, we had a nice session last week and everyone pulled up well and is happy and keen to go,” Turnbull said. “Everyone is really gelling.”
Turnbull has instilled Albury’s Richard Manion as captain with Ag College’s Ben Leaper vice-captain.
Neither played in the representative team last year which features 13 new faces in the 23-man squad.
No changes have been made to the squad since Albury’s Tom Boyle was added two weeks ago.
Turnbull believes SIRU’s to the competition is an excellent opportunity for players to take on some of the state’s best players.
“I think it gives players an opportunity to be seen by various selectors throughout a number of zones,” he said.
“They can be seen by NSW Country selectors as well as Brumbies selectors which is a good pathway for players.”
Southern Inland will play in the second tier of the competition, the Richardson Shield, against Central North, New England, Mid North Coast, Western Plains and Far North Coast.
