Andy Ward had an unforgettable experience on December 11, 1998, when he was hurriedly escorted from Ravenhill, during Ulster’s European Cup quarter-final triumph over Toulouse, by the local law enforcement. The urgency was so he could reach the hospital in time for the arrival of his son, Zac. Only six weeks later, Ulster scored another victory, becoming the initial Irish province to clinch the coveted trophy.
During the match, the Ulster team’s physician, David Irwin, a former Irish international centre, learnt of the labour pains Wendy, Ward’s wife, was suffering from. As a result, Andy, the New Zealand native and Irish international flanker, left the match 10 minutes shy of the break and luckily, he arrived just in time for Zac’s birth.
Zac, who weighed eight pounds and six ounces at birth, has since forged a remarkable rugby career of his own. He notably scored for Emerging Ireland in their recent 36-24 win over the Pumas in Bloemfontein. The 25-year-old, who had an outstanding year as a Sevens Olympian and notched four tries in a tournament, earned recognition from his comrades for his consistent performance. Consequently, he bagged himself the title of Ireland Sevens player of the year 2024.
Presently, Richie Murphy, Ulster’s head coach, has offered Zac a temporary contract to play the 15s game up until the November Test Internationals. Following this decision, Zac was chosen for the Emerging Ireland team.
During his tenure at Down High School, Zac took after his father, Andy, a proud earner of 28 caps for Ireland, and his younger sibling Bryn, as a backrow player. Bryn had been an openside flanker for the Irish Under-20s team in the previous season. Despite Zac’s forward role in Sevens, he was selected as a wing for his return to 15s.
Zac demonstrated the benefits of this choice during his match against the Pumas, being noticeably dominant in his second-half performance. He proved instrumental in leading his team, time and time again, past the gainline, even with minimal space. His try was a testament to his tenacity, effortlessly maneuvering past potential tacklers and warding off a third.
The transition from Sevens to 15s has seen a host of advocates on the playing field in the recent past, with Hugo Keenan, the esteemed fullback from Ireland, being the most notable. Ireland’s emerging head coach, Simon Easterby, extolled this transition, focusing on Keenan’s impressive Sevens journey which culminated at the Olympics, and his subsequent smooth transition back to 15s.
Easterby shed light on Keenan’s preseason engagement with Ulster upon returning from the Sevens, and praised his incredible talent. His performance against the Pumas was highlighted, with Andrew Goodman, an Irish backs’ coach, excited about his prowess in breaking tackles and defeating opponents single-handedly.
The focus now, according to Easterby, is ensuring a tangible pathway back to 15s from Sevens, as both games have varied fitness and conditioning requirements. Light was shed on how Keenan dealt with intense cramps during a game but continued to show an impressive performance. Easterby was confident that despite Keenan’s unfamiliarity with the 15s’ positional demands, he is evolving continuously.
Keenan’s own insights confirmed these sentiments. He shared that playing 80 full minutes of rugby after a prolonged gap left him physically drained, but the experience was surreal. The joy of finally stepping onto the field and aiding his team to victory was unparalleled.
The move from Sevens to 15s, and from the back row to the wing, requires significant talent and an aptitude to understand nuanced details swiftly. Easterby commended Keenan’s ability in this regard. He pointed out his adaptation to the left wing and his delight in performing well against the Pumas with “plenty of ball in hand”. Keenan looks forward to maintaining the momentum in upcoming games.
Notably, Ward isn’t the only recent transition from Sevens, subsequent to injuries incurred by Tommy O’Brien and Shayne Bolton. This led to the introduction of another Olympian, Chay Mullins, into the Emerging Ireland squad as a last minute stand-in. Ward believes that there is commonality in the competency requirements of the two sports codes.
In his words, “Sevens has greatly boosted my growth as a player. Now being in the 15s game, I’ve attempted to utilise all the skills I’ve acquired in Sevens within the 15s game. Chay and I are both fairly inexperienced, yet we are gradually adapting. It’s been a phenomenal journey.
What’s more, at Ulster, Richie [Murphy] and the team have been exceptionally supportive with my transition into this new role. I have a few close comrades, such as Ethan McIlroy, Jacob [Stockdale] and Stu Moore who have been providing invaluable advice.
“In the event that we were feeling the pressure during the game [against the Pumas] due to the high altitude and scorching heat, their advice certainly came in handy. It’s an incredible atmosphere to be part of. Simon [Easterby] and Paulie [O’Connell] have been doing an outstanding job in aiding not only me, but also everyone else in advancing as players.”
It’s undeniable – Ward has undoubtedly made a very positive breakthrough.”