Tony Ward

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, helping Ireland win 12–9. 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. Ward retired from international duty after the 1988 Ireland rugby union tour of France where he scored the winning points for the first win in France since 1972.

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 provincial men's 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 Championship.

Rugby Munster Senior Cup (rugby union) 2 Garryowen Football Club 1975, 1979 Munster Senior League (rugby union) Garryowen Football Club 1982 IRFU Interprovincial Championship 3 Munster Rugby 1975–76, 1977–78, 1978–79 Association football FAI Cup Limerick 1982 Castrol Cup Shamrock Rovers 1973 Individual Rugby World Golden Boot 2 Ireland national rugby union team 1978, 1979 Rugby Writers of Ireland Player of the Year Ireland national rugby union team 1979