![New England Rugby Union will have three sides at this weekend's Country Championships. Picture by Catherine Stephen New England Rugby Union will have three sides at this weekend's Country Championships. Picture by Catherine Stephen](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/T7RGn6Wqupu9DPpBgesVjF/d7aac68a-0d1f-4912-8766-27431b22f186.jpg/r0_209_2048_1365_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
For the first time since 2017, New England Rugby Union will be fielding three teams in the NSW Country Rugby Union Championships.
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The zone will take a men's, colts and women's team to the event in Tamworth this weekend.
The men's and women's teams have taken part in recent years but the colts haven't.
New England coaching coordinator Luke Stephen said it is great to see them return.
"We are one of five zones doing that which is a really great testament to those players who have put their hands up," he said.
"Under 20s has been an area where traditionally we have been strong and the drop to 19s has meant it was a struggle for us to get a side, if we could at all, based on the amount of gents who take a year off before coming to university.
"What is exciting is a lot of these guys are playing first grade footy for their clubs week-in, week-out."
As expected, the university-based clubs in St Albert's College and Robb College dominate the side.
In the women's and open men's teams, there's a wide spread of from all six New England first grade teams.
The growth of the women's area of the sport has been huge and New England is no different.
The side will see Corellas representatives Tahlia Morgan and Paige Leonard return to lead the way.
"Having two Corellas in the pack in Paige Leonard and Tink Morgan is a big plus for the team," Stephen said.
"While in the backs, some of these girls have been playing really good footy for their clubs for a number of years and finally get an opportunity, such as Ellie Hannaford from Tamworth and Charlotte Menzies from Robb."
In the men's, there's also a good spread of players from across the clubs.
Having Walcha return to New England has helped the representative side.
"We have got a side that is ready to go and compete across the championships which has been the goal," Stephen said.
"To be able to put three full sides across into the championships is a great achievement to the work the volunteers, the coaches and managers have done with finding and selecting players."