Ward driven to achieve Ireland dream after ‘surreal’ 2024

Investec Champions Cup: Leicester v Ulster

Venue: Welford Road, Leicester Date: Saturday, 11 January Kick-off: 20: 00 GMT

In Zac Ward’s last 12 months, life has been moving quickly.

He was getting ready for the Irish Sevens team’s debut in Perth this time last year.

One of Ireland’s standout players in the shorter code, he realised a dream in the summer when he became an Olympian.

Ward had no time to dwell on his agony as he answered Ulster’s call, even though that journey ended in heartache when Fiji knocked out any chance of leaving Paris with a medal in the quarter-finals.

Ward was given the green jersey after being abused by the province on trial, and Ward soon found himself wearing it in South Africa’s Emerging Ireland series.

He has accumulated valuable 15s experience, and he has continued to check off his list of accomplishments, starting with his Ulster debut against Bordeaux and signing a three-year deal that will keep him in the province until 2028.

Now, with a “surreal” 2024 in his rearview mirror and having sorted his future, the 26-year-old is determined to achieve new goals and scale new heights as he forges a new path as a 15s winger.

Ward told BBC Sport NI, “My goal is unquestionably to play at the highest level I can.”

Naturally, Ward laces any Ireland chat with caution.

By his own admission, he still has a lot to learn as a 15s winger, knowledge that will be best gained from adding to his two caps for the province, scoring tries and winning games.

However, he believes he is “slowly getting there” and appears to have been encouraged by Ireland interim head coach Simon Easterby’s positive assessment at the conclusion of the Emerging Ireland tour.

“One thing that has definitely stuck with me, he said ‘ you have a really high ceiling, so don’t aim small'”, recalls Ward, the son of former Ireland and Ulster flanker Andy Ward.

Ward has enough on his plate at Ulster for the foreseeable future while the Six Nations are likely to come too soon for him, with Saturday’s trip to Leicester looming over his mind.

Ulster needs a positive outcome at Welford Road after a few crushing defeats suffered by Toulouse and Bordeaux, but Ward, who injured himself before missing the crucial festive victory at Connacht, feels the squad are inspired by their underdog tag against Leicester.

“I think one or two have maybe already written us off for the game, which we kind of love”, he explained.

“Myself anyway, I’m relishing that. Going in as underdogs, you have no expectations, you just go in and fire any shot that you want.