In a massive boost for women's rugby union in the New England Zone, five players have been chosen in the NSW Country Corellas squad.
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St Albert's Tahlia Morgan, Clare Harpley and Charlotte Goldman along with the Barbets' Lekah Mohena and Skye Gordon-Briggs were named in the extended squad after the recent NSW Country Rugby Union Championships.
The quintet is the largest contingent the Zone have ever had.
In 2016 Kelly Taylor was named while last year Tahlia Morgan was in the squad after playing with Central North at the Championships, due to New England's absence in the 15-a-side competition.
Harpley, who hails from Coolac in the Riverina but plays at the university club, said it was a complete shock.
"Five is massive, especially because Central North, who are just down the road, they only had two selected and we all played for them last year and none of us were selected," she said.
"I wasn't expecting it because New England we weren't nearly as strong as anyone else in the competition and I didn't think the selectors would be looking at us.
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"I knew there was a lot of talent in our team but I just didn't think we would get exposed.
"But it is exciting because a lot of the girls in the team have a lot of potential."
Harpley was rapt to be included alongside her Albies teammates, as well as two of the Baa Baas girls who are leading the Zone's 10s competition.
"Tink [Morgan] is one of them. I knew Tink would probably be selected, just because she is a bigger build and you can build to her game and Goldman is just amazing as well," she said.
"I have never someone who has stolen so many balls in a game in a cleanout."
The majority of the New England team was new to 15-a-side rugby prior to the Championships.
Their campaign only saw one win on the scoreboard but their potential was enough for the five to catch the eyes of selectors.
Harpley believes it is this potential which makes playing for the Zone such an "exciting" prospect.
"The game is developing, especially in the New England area," she said.
I come from down south and we have always played 10s and 15s.
It is great to see in New England, even in club rugby, go from 7s to 10s this year.
"And now adding that 15s game structure, you can see it is building which is exciting."
The Corellas will gather in Sydney on August 6 for a training camp.
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