The New England Free Jacks signed Harrison Boyle for the 2021 Major League Rugby season. The 20-year-old flyhalf/fullback (21 in January) is 6’4″ and 210lbs.
Harry was born in Boston, Massachusetts and his family returned to Wellington were he was raised in Lower Hutt. He played for Hutt Old Boys Marist and attended St. Patrick’s College, Silverstream from 2013-2017. He played rugby for the 1st XV for two years and was the co-captain of the 2017 team which won the Wellington Schools Championship and finished in the top 8 in New Zealand. The team broke a season scoring record with 982 points in 18 matches, with Harrison scoring 132. The team also won the Scots 7s.
Harrison was selected to the Hurricanes U17 Development Camp in 2016 and later the U18s. He represented the Otago Rugby Academy U19s in 2018 and 2019. In 2018 and 2019 he played in the Jock Hobbs Memorial National Under 19 Tournament, representing Otago and was selected to the New Zealand U20 Development Camp in 2020.
In 2018, Harrison moved to Dunedin to attend the University of Otago, where he is three-quarters of the way through a law degree. He plays his club rugby for the Dunedin Sharks. Harrison made his professional debut for Otago in a Ranfurly Shield defense against North Otago in 2019 and Mitre 10 Cup debut against Northland in 2020. He has also played for Stourbridge RFC.
New England Free Jacks Comments
“The opportunity to play for the Free Jacks is one that excites me for many reasons,” said Harrison. “To return to the place I was born and play the game I love whilst continuing my development is one that I could not pass up. I can’t wait to meet the squad and get to work.”
“Harry ‘the red ghost’ Boyle is an up and coming talent coming out of the New Zealand rugby system,” commented Free Jacks Head Coach, Ryan Martin. “Harry at the ripe age of 20 has played Mitre 10 Cup and was also selected to attend the New Zealand Under 20 Camp. He is a dynamic First Five who doesn’t mind the physical work and has a fantastic running game. Off-field he is a talented and resilient fella and he will undoubtedly add a lot to our program.”
Harrison was selected as part of NZ U20’s 50 men wider squad camp in February 2020 which was set to have a team selected to compete at the Junior World Championship in Italy before COVID-19 curtailed the event. Most comfortable at Flyhalf, Harrison has spent time at Fullback and even on the wing during the Mitre 10 Cup Season. At 6’4, Harrison is very rangy and equipped with a quality skill set which should see him excel for the Free Jacks managing the game at either Fly Half or Fullback in 2021.
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