Hunter rugby union: Uni No.8 Toa Havea steamrolls way into NSW County Cockatoos squad

Havea has added a new dimension to the Students' attack with his strong carries and off-loads.

"When he has a good game, he is the best on the field," Berry said. "For us in the last year or two, he has tried to do a bit of everything. Our pack wasn't as big or strong and he got caught up trying to do too many things.

"Now, he just has to run hard. When he does that, he is pretty hard to stop.

Havea was given the same role for Hunter at the Country Championships in Tamworth in June and excelled

Hunter won the second-tier Richardson Shield, steamrolling Mid North Coast 45-26 in the final.

Havea was among five Hunter players alongside Rhys Bray, Hamish McKie, Sam Callow and Mick Taylor selected in the NSW Country train-on squad that attended a camp in Sydney earlier this month.

All five have made the final 28-man squad for the Australian Rugby Shield to be held in Brisbane, starting late September.

"When Toa is on, when he is motivated, he is right up there with the best forwards," Berry said. "That is obviously what they saw at the Country Championships. Playing with other strong players, all he has to do is his job. Go out and run hard, which he did. The selectors took notice.

"He needs to be a bit more consistent. He can get fired up, which can be a distraction. He got sent off in a game last year. He has reined that in and his performances have gotten better and better."

Havea, McKie, Bray and Taylor will be making their Cockatoos debut. Callow played for the Cockatoos in 2017-18 before heading to Sydney and playing at Easts for two years.

In his third season in Maitland, the back-rower has been a driving force behind the Blacks rise to the top of the table.

Taylor, an outside centre, is the most improved player in Hunter Rugby.

Neither selection came as a surprise to Maitland coach Luke Cunningham, himself a former NSW Country under-20s representative.

"Sam Callow is Sam Callow," Cunningham said. "He plays at that level every week. He is one of those guys if he makes himself available, he is nearly an automatic selection.

"I'm ecstatic for Micky Taylor. He came into grade two and half years ago, and to see the way he has developed. He is the best centre in the comp. I'm delighted for him.

"When he went away with Hunter, he came back with so much confidence. Even to the point where he is becoming a voice in the team.

"He is getting opportunities because of the work guys inside him are doing. A lot of the tries he is scoring, he is creating himself. I'm stroked for him."

Bray represented NSW Country juniors in the centres and was part of the NSW Waratahs Gen Blue squad before switching to rugby league in 2020.

He returned to Merewether last season and has developed into a powerhouse breakaway.

"We pushed them early in the season to get involved in the rep program," Merewether coach Tony Munro said. "Rhys has really enjoyed it.

"It is good for them to play at a higher level and meet new players.

"I think he will thrive in the NSW Country environment."

Hunter women dominated selection in the NSW Coreallas, with nine players.

The men and women will contest the Australian Rugby Shield which is being held at the redeveloped Ballymore Oval in Brisbane from September 27 to October 2.

The Cockatoos have been drawn in Pool B alongside Perth, Tasmania and South Australia.

The Corellas are also in Pool B and will meet South Australia, ACT and the Australian Defence Force.

The Cockatoos Colts play Queensland Country in a two-game series on September 25 and 27.

Hunter players in NSW Country squads:

Cockatoos: Toa Havea (Uni), Rhys Bray (Merewether), Hamish McKie (Hamilton), Sam Callow, Mick Taylor (Maitland)

Corellas: Emma Bradford (Sthn Beaches), Anika Butler (Waratahs), Kate Holland (Nelson Bay), Mel Howard (Uni), Brooke Walklate (Wanderers), Olivia Creswick, Candice Clay, Susannah Cooke, Riley Smith (Hamilton)

Cockatoos Colts: Josh Honeysett, Blake Goodchild, Thomas Kennedy, Jayden Williams-Whitney (Sthn Beaches), Saint Manu, Ben Park, Patrick Tulaga (Wildfires)