Tony Ward (rugby union)

Tony Ward

Personal information
Full name	Anthony Joseph Patrick Ward
Born	9 October 1954 (1954-10-09) Dublin, Ireland
Playing information
Position	Fly-half
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
	Rugby Union
1975–1982	Garryowen
1984–1988	Greystones RFC
1982–1984	St. Mary's College RFC
	Soccer
1973–1975	Shamrock Rovers
1981–198x	Limerick United
	Total	0	0	0	0	0
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
19xx–19xx	Munster
19xx–19xx	Leinster
1978–1987	Ireland	19				113
1980	British and Irish Lions	1				18
19xx–19xx	Barbarians

Anthony Joseph Patrick Ward (born 8 October 1954, Dublin, Ireland), commonly referred to as Tony Ward, was an Irish rugby union and soccer player during the 1970s and 1980s. He played rugby as a fly-half for, among others, Munster, Leinster, Ireland , the British and Irish Lions and the Barbarians. Although better known as a rugby player, he also played football for both Shamrock Rovers and Limerick United. In 1981 he played for Limerick United in the UEFA Cup against Southampton and in 1982 he helped them win the FAI Cup. He also played schoolboys football with Liam Brady.

He made his Rovers debut on 2 December 1973. In his last season at Glenmalure Park 1974/75 he scored 6 league goals.

Playing career

Ireland

Ward won 19 caps for Ireland between 1978 and 1987. He made his international debut against Scotland at Lansdowne Road on 21 January 1978 at the age of 23. He helped Ireland win 12-9 and during the 1978 Five Nations Championship he scored 38 points, a record for a debutant. He made one major tour with Ireland, to Australia in 1979. During his career as an Ireland international he scored 113 points, including 29 penalties, 7 conversions and 4 drop goals. He played his last game for Ireland on 3 June 1987 in a 32-9 win over Tonga during the 1987 Rugby World Cup.

Munster

Ward also inspired Munster to a legendary win over New Zealand, scoring two drop goals and a conversion in a 12-0 victory at Thomond Park on 31 October 1978. To date Munster are the only Irish team ever to beat the All-Blacks.

British and Irish Lions

Ward also played one Test game for the British and Irish Lions during the 1980 South Africa tour. He set a Lions Test record by scoring 18 points, including 5 penalties and a drop goal. It was also a record for any player against South Africa.

Awards

Ward was the first ever recipient of a European Rugby Player Of The Year award for his performances in the 1979 Five Nations tournament .

Later years

Journalism

Since retiring as a sportsman, Ward has worked as a sports journalist, most notably with the Irish Independent, and as a rugby commentator for Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). While playing rugby he had been a geography and PE teacher in St Andrews secondary school.

Coach

Ward is currently involved in St. Gerards School in Bray, where he is coaching the Senior Rugby team and has been doing so for a number of years now.

Tony was, during the '90's, a highly valued and well respected coach for St Andrews School in Booterstown, Ireland. He constantly downplayed his fame and success and wouldn't even be in the room if another coach played video footage of his legendary tries.

Limerick United

• FAI Cup
  • Winner
  • 1982: 1

See also

• Players who have converted from one football code to another

Sources

• The Hoops by Paul Doolan and Robert Goggins (ISBN 0-7171-2121-6)

External links

• Bio at www.sporting-heroes.net