A Belgian international who was the first prop to be named the NSW Country player of the year has been brought into the Sydney Rays squad that will take on Brisbane City at Ballymore on Sunday.

Alain Miriallakis has been named on the bench in the Rays squad and is sure to get some time at tighthead prop in the important showdown with the 2014 and 2015 NRC champions.

The 30-year-old has been playing in Newcastle for the past four years for the Waratahs and has notched up more than 50 Tests and played a major role in the qualifying games for Belgium leading into the 2007, 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cups.

The Belgian national side is ranked 25th in World Rugby rankings and is a growing sport there, but it has to compete with soccer and tennis for the hearts and minds of the nation.

The Belgian Rugby team predominantly plays in the European Nations Cup, a competition for countries outside the Six Nations championship.

Miriallakis trained with the Rays at the training grounds at Macquarie University on Tuesday night and impressed enough to be taken to Brisbane for his first Buildcorp NRC game.

The move to bring the 110kg prop into the squad by coach Simon Cron comes after NSW Country were able to get a steady stream of penalties late in the game from the set piece.

The Rays first choice tighthead prop Angus Ta’vao is still working his way back from a head knock sustained while playing in Northern Suburbs’ Shute Shield grand final victory.

Cron believes his side created enough opportunities to win last weekend’s encounter with the Eagles.

“We left numerous opportunities on the park against NSW Country last weekend and as the group knows, to win at this level we need to be nailing those chances,” he said.

“Our review session earlier this week really underlined that, so that’s been the thrust of how we have prepared for this game.”

The game against NSW Country did take its toll with outstanding lock and lineout man Nick Palmer and outside back Cam Clark both off for surgeries.

Palmer tore his hamstring in a clean out situation while Clark has a facial fracture after colliding with Scott Fardy taking a high ball in the second half.

The loss of Palmer is significant and sees James Brown moves into the second row to team up with the in-form Connor Vest.

Jack Dempsey has been named at blindside flanker but needs to get through training on Thursday night and warm down well to take his place on the trip north.

The same goes for No.13 Con Foley who copped a head knock against Queensland Country two weeks ago and missed the game against the Eagles.

Harry Jones also comes back into the side on the left wing after missing last weekend’s game with a slight thigh strain.

Michael Smith gets a chance to start a game at openside breakaway in the absence of Will Miller who is staying home to get a foot niggle right for the run in to the finals.

There is also adequate cover on the bench for the backrowers with Chris Alcock, who is heading the ACT Brumbies in 2017, set for his Rays debut.

Another new face on the bench is outside back Lochie Creagh who was part of Northern Suburbs premiership side.

Sydney Rays team to play Brisbane City

Rory O’Connor, Damien Fitzpatrick, Lawrance Hunting, Connor Vest, James Brown, Jack Dempsey, Michael Smith, Michael Wells, Matt Lucas, Angus Sinclair, Harry Jones, Irae Simone, Con Foley, Josh Turner, Johnathon Malo. Reserves: James Hilterbrand, Ezra Luzton, Alain Miriallakis, Adrian Hall, Chris Alcock, Dewet Roos, Lochie Creagh, Seb Wileman.