Sid Harvey and Bernard O’Connor selected into NSW Country under-16s team

Narrabri Junior Rugby Club duo Sid Harvey and Bernard O’Connor travelled to Armidale last weekend where they competed at the 2021 NSW Country Junior Rugby Union Championships.

Both boys returned home as Narrabri’s latest Country representatives after Martha Harvey (Sid’s sister)and Holly Ford gained Country selections a week earlier.

Bernard and Sid, who are cousins, both competed for Central North in Armidale where they played side-by-side for the zone’s under-16s team.

The duo were partners in the halves and were instrumental in helping the team reach the grand final in which it went down 25-14 against Far North Coast to finish as runners-up.

Central North won three of its four games earlier in the carnival including its semi-final match.

Fifteen-year-old Sid, the Central North under-16s team’s five-eighth, is the son of Denis and Carmel Harvey, while 15-year-old Bernard, the side’s halfback, is the son of Craig and Michelle O’Connor.

Both boys are Year 10 students at Narrabri High School.

The duo earned the praise of their Narrabri Junior Rugby Club under-16s team coach Clayton Pursche who said he was proud of both boys.

“It’s a huge effort by the boys and I’m very proud but not overly surprised because I see the hard work that they put in,” Pursche said.

“Those two boys live and breathe rugby.”