BERRY’S Will Miller will have the honour of captaining the NSW Waratahs for the second time within a week, when his side take on the ACT Brumbies in a Super Rugby trial in Goulburn on Thursday.
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The Shoalhaven Rugby Club product will lead a fresh-faced NSW Waratahs team that will remain relatively unchanged from their first trial match against the Highlanders in New Zealand, which they lost 59-38.
The only major change is to the bench, with the addition of Wallabies duo Ned Hanigan and Adam Ashley-Cooper.
NSW Waratahs assistant coach, Chris Whitaker, said the young NSW talent in the side really stood up during the first trial and he’s expecting the same again.
“The young blokes we’ve brought through the New South Wales system, who got their first taste of international rugby last week, will be hungry to get more minutes under their belt and show us what they can deliver for the team,” Whitaker said.
“Last weekend we really saw guys like Will Harris and Andrew Tuala impress and we are expecting that from all the boys who’ve really worked hard during this pre-season.
“There is just over one week to go until the Super Rugby season starts at Brookvale Oval, so for us it’s about testing those combinations and giving these boys some game time.
“I remember very well the the rivalry between the NSW Waratahs and Brumbies and even though this is a trial match, you can expect a very fierce game of rugby.”
Waratahs starting XI: Alex Newsome, Curtis Rona, Lalakai Foketi, Karmichael Hunt, Cameron Clark, Mack Mason, Mitch Short, Jack Dempsey, Will Miller ©, Lachlan Swinton, Ryan McCauley, Jed Holloway, Shambeckler Vui, Andrew Tuala and Harry Johnson-Holmes.
Reserves: JP Sauni, Rory O'Connor, Chris Talakai, Le Roux Roets, Ned Hanigan, Pat Tafa, Jake Gordon, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Will Harrison, Richard Woolf, Will Harris, Cody Walker, Hugh Sinclair and Ben Donaldson.
