THE NSW Country Eagles released their 2015 National Rugby Championship squad on Thursday, with Orange-born winger Charlie Clifton making the final cut.

Clifton, who went to school at St Stanislaus’ College and All Saints’ College, both in Bathurst, is one of 21 new faces in the Eagles squad for the 2015 competition - which kicks off in a fortnight - with just nine of the group that made last year’s semi-finals returning.

Having lost a number of big names, including 2014 skipper Cam Treloar, gun number eight Ita Vea and five-eighth Sam Windsor, the Eagles are at odds to repeat last season’s stellar performance, but head coach Darren Coleman said there is a lot to like about the current group.

Coleman has added Waratahs recruit Sam Lousi and Irish international Tom Sexton to give plenty of class, with Dubbo’s Beau Robinson set to feature in a talented back row with Mark Baldwin and Will Miller.

The Eagles have had a number of sessions together already and begin training full-time on Monday, ahead of a three day camp in Newcastle late next week.

The Eagles kick-off their 2015 campaign against the Greater Sydney Rams on Saturday, August 22 at Merrylands Rugby Park in Sydney, and will host home games at Bathurst, Tamworth, Newcastle and one at Woollahra Oval as well throughout the season.

NSW COUNTRY EAGLES: Mark Baldwin (Camden), Brogan Roods (Randwick), Charlie Clifton (Bathurst), Michael Dowsett (Brumbies), Nicholas Palmer (Newcastle), Samuel Figg (Randwick), Tom Merritt (Byron Bay), Tom Sexton (Rebels), Tom Staniforth (West Wyalong/Brumbies), Will Fay (Eastern Suburbs), Dave Faeo (Brisbane), Dane Marakai (Manly), Dashville Kuate (Randwick), Andrew Collins (Manly), Ryan Dalziel (Eastern Suburbs), Ned Hanigan (Coonamble), Sam Lousi (Waratahs), Sam Croke (Lennox Head), Will Miller (Nowra), Tyrone Viiga (Eastern Suburbs), Pauli Tuala (Wollongong), Beau Robinson (Dubbo), Jock Merriman (Boorowa), David Harvey (West Harbour), Jono Lance (Canberra), Ed Stubbs (Eastern Suburbs), David Horwitz (Randwick), Jarome Mckenzie (Eastern Suburbs), Andrew Kellaway (Randwick), Joel Brooks (West Harbour)