Four New England Rugby Union women will line up against Australia's best players after being named in the Country Corellas final squad.
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The Barbarians' Lekah Mohena and Skye Gordon-Briggs, along with St Albert's College's Tahlia Morgan and Charlotte Goldman were named in the squad of 27 after trials in Sydney.
They will contest the Australian Country Championships in Adelaide from September 28 to October 4.
Corellas coach Paddy Bowen said the New England women caught his eye over a number of occasions throughout the year.
"Charlotte has been on the radar for country, she was coughed up last year so we were tracking her a little bit to see that she was developing still," he said.
"Tink [Morgan] made the wider squad last year but was a Covid casualty unfortunately so we didn't get her off the ground unfortunately.
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"The big one is Skye Gordon-Briggs.
"I wasn't familiar with her too much and I watched her play a trial against Central North in Armidale and she sparked a bit of interest and then she performed at Country Champs and then the at the trial [in Sydney].
"It always good to find those players that may have fallen through the cracks in other rep programs or didn't do their junior rugby in our system.
"[Mohena] is probably more of a backrower that can prop so that versatility was really great for us, we can take her as a backrower or a prop."
Bowen credited the New England Zone for its development.
He believes the increase of players and the programs they are putting into place for women wanting to play contact sport has played a huge role in getting these women to this level.
"New England are playing consistent week-in, week-out footy at club level," he said.
"They are not burdened by the travel and the byes and stuff that we see in other country Zones.
"I think the fact that New England got a standalone team to country champs is testament to how the comp is going and building.
"They have been in and out and a bit transient the last couple of years but now they have a regular comp, it is paying dividends for sure."
It will also be the first time the Corellas have toured with the Cockatoos men's team.
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