Steve Ford
Encyclopedia
Stephen Paul "Steve" Ford (born 15 August 1965 in Cardiff
) was a Welsh
international rugby union
flanker. After being banned from rugby union for an act of professionalism, he was eventually allowed back into the sport and went on to represent the Wales national team
. He played club rugby for Cardiff
.
. He joined Rumney RFC
but in 1985 he played in two trial matches for Leeds
, a rugby league
team. Although he never played for Leeds or any other league side, by attending the trials the Welsh Rugby Union
deemed this an act of professionalism and suspended him from playing rugby union. In April 1985 Ford's suspension was lifted and he was allowed to play the game of union again, joining Cardiff.
In 1990 he won his first full international cap, facing Ireland
as part of the 1990 Five Nations Championship
. Ford was utilised on the wing, and scored a try
on his debut. Despite this Wales lost the match 14-8. Ford was next selected for Wales on their 1990 Summer tour of Namibia. Ford played in both tour Tests against Namibia
, Wales winning both.
After representing Wales against the touring Barbarians
in October 1990, Ford was selected for the 1991 Five Nations Championship
. Ford played in three of the Championship matches; the loss to England at Cardiff
followed by a second defeat, this time to Scotland in which Ford scored his second and final international try. Ford's final home nations game was a draw with Ireland. Ford's final international was during the 1991 Wales tour of Australia, in which Wales were crushed 63-6 by Australia
in Brisbane.
Although he never played in any of the matches of the tournament, Ford was part of the Wales team that participated in the 1991 Rugby World Cup
, held in Wales. Despite not representing the Wales team in the years following, he was chosen for the Wales squad for the 1995 Rugby World Cup
but again failed to be selected for any of the tournament games.
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
) was a Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
international rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
flanker. After being banned from rugby union for an act of professionalism, he was eventually allowed back into the sport and went on to represent the Wales national team
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
. He played club rugby for Cardiff
Cardiff RFC
Cardiff Rugby Football Club is a rugby union football club based in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The club was founded in 1876 and played their first few matches at Sophia Gardens, but soon relocated to Cardiff Arms Park where they have been based ever since...
.
Rugby career
Steve Ford played rugby as a schoolboy representing Rumney High SchoolRumney High School
Rumney High School is an English medium co-educational, community school in the Rumney area of Cardiff, Wales. The school serves the communities of Rumney, Trowbridge and St Mellons on the eastern side of Cardiff and was opened in the 1950s alongside Llanrumney High School...
. He joined Rumney RFC
Rumney RFC
Rumney Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union based in Rumney, Wales. Rumney RFC presently compete in the Welsh Rugby Union Division One East league...
but in 1985 he played in two trial matches for Leeds
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
, a rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
team. Although he never played for Leeds or any other league side, by attending the trials the Welsh Rugby Union
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
deemed this an act of professionalism and suspended him from playing rugby union. In April 1985 Ford's suspension was lifted and he was allowed to play the game of union again, joining Cardiff.
In 1990 he won his first full international cap, facing Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
as part of the 1990 Five Nations Championship
1990 Five Nations Championship
The 1990 Five Nations Championship was the 61st series of the Five Nations Championship, an annual rugby union competition between the major Northern Hemisphere rugby union national teams. The tournament consisted of ten matches held between 16 January and 24 March 1990.The tournament was the 61st...
. Ford was utilised on the wing, and scored a try
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
on his debut. Despite this Wales lost the match 14-8. Ford was next selected for Wales on their 1990 Summer tour of Namibia. Ford played in both tour Tests against Namibia
Namibia national rugby union team
The Namibian rugby union team, nicknamed the Welwitschias or Biltongboere, represents Namibia at rugby union. Although they are a tier-three nation in the International Rugby Board tier system, the team have participated in all three Rugby World Cup competitions since their first appearance in 1999...
, Wales winning both.
After representing Wales against the touring Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
in October 1990, Ford was selected for the 1991 Five Nations Championship
1991 Five Nations Championship
The 1991 Five Nations Championship was the 62nd series of the Five Nations Championship, an annual rugby union competition between the major Northern Hemisphere rugby union national teams. The tournament consisted of ten matches held between 19 January and 16 March 1991.The tournament was the 62nd...
. Ford played in three of the Championship matches; the loss to England at Cardiff
Cardiff Arms Park
Cardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is primarily known as a rugby union stadium, but it also has a bowling green, and is situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The Arms Park was host to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1958, and hosted four games in the 1991 Rugby World...
followed by a second defeat, this time to Scotland in which Ford scored his second and final international try. Ford's final home nations game was a draw with Ireland. Ford's final international was during the 1991 Wales tour of Australia, in which Wales were crushed 63-6 by Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
in Brisbane.
Although he never played in any of the matches of the tournament, Ford was part of the Wales team that participated in the 1991 Rugby World Cup
1991 Rugby World Cup
The 1991 Rugby World Cup was the second edition of the Rugby World Cup, and was jointly hosted by England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France; at that time, the five European countries that participated in the Five Nations Championship making it the first Rugby World Cup to be staged in the...
, held in Wales. Despite not representing the Wales team in the years following, he was chosen for the Wales squad for the 1995 Rugby World Cup
1995 Rugby World Cup
The 1995 Rugby World Cup was the third Rugby World Cup. It was hosted and won by South Africa, and was the first Rugby World Cup in which every match was held in one country....
but again failed to be selected for any of the tournament games.
International matches played
Wales 1991- BarbariansBarbarian F.C.The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
1990 1991 1990, 1991 1990, 1990 1991