The changing of the guard in Country Rugby continued with the announcement of the NSW Country Cockatoos and Cockatoo Colts training squads for the 2017 season. Eighteen new players have been selected in the Cockatoos squad, while the change in the Colts age group has seen a new generation of players make their way into the senior ranks. Caldwell Cup finalists Illawarra and Newcastle Hunter share the honours with an equal number of players selected, while the remainder of the squad has representation from the other seven Country zones. Retirements, transfers and unavailability of players from last year’s Cockatoos’ squad came into play, but the final selections came down to what the players put on display at the Country Championships in Port Macquarie. Cockatoos Coach Mat Thomas said the nature of Country Rugby would always see changes from one year to another, and the only way to select the squad was on the form displayed at the Country Championships. The NSW Country Cockatoos