Michael Ward has put his teaching career on hold to fulfill his Rugby League World Cup dream with Ireland; Ireland are in Group C alongside Jamaica, Lebanon and New Zealand; Their first match is against Jamaica on Saturday at 5pm at Headingley, Leeds
Wednesday 12 October 2022 16:29, UK
When an opportunity to play for Ireland in a Rugby League World Cup came calling for Michael Ward, there was no question what his answer would be.
Whilst the decision may have been difficult for some, the part-time Batley Bulldogs prop and full-time maths teacher wasted no time in handing in his resignation, joining up with Ireland and staking his claim for a starting shirt.
Now in the Ireland camp, Ward feels more confident than ever in the decision he has made and is ready to chase his dreams on the international stage.
"It was a tough decision because it is a school that became the school I went to, so some of the staff that taught me as a kid are still teaching there," said Ward.
"I have got family members that work there, and it is a really close-knit community, so it wasn't an easy decision to make but this was an opportunity that was too big to miss out on.
"I talked to my partner but I didn't know I was confirmed until quite late on, so it wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision, but it was a decision that came quite quickly.
"My extended family and my mum and dad have been massively supportive all the way through but when they found out they have all been super supportive - and not even just family but people I pass in the town or people reaching out on social media."
His Championship side, the Batley Bulldogs, have had a year to remember after beating the full-time Featherstone Rovers to make it all the way to the Grand Final, defying the odds and showing the Rugby League world what hard work, grit and determination can achieve.
With Ireland now in a tricky group alongside New Zealand, Jamaica and Lebanon, Ward feels there is no better opportunity to use that Batley mentality and show that no matter what the teams say on paper, "working hard for each other" can produce big results.
"At Batley, we have done really well this year and we got through to the Grand Final," Ward added.
"If you have got any chance of a reasonable baptism it is playing against Featherstone, that is going to be as close to the international level as you are going to get playing in the Championship, so it is really good.
"At Batley, we have been the underdogs all year and turned over teams that are stronger on paper, so you just have to focus on yourself and not focus on the names.
"You have to go out there and do your job and work hard for each other.
"At the end of the day, it is 17 men against 17 men and whoever wants it the most and executes their game plan the best will have the best chance of winning."
Although Ward will be fulfilling some lifelong dreams at the World Cup, including getting the opportunity to play against New Zealand, he also believes that this Ireland side should not be written off.
Indeed, with NRL star Luke Keary in the halves and a whole host of Super League talents, including Leeds Rhinos' Richie Myler and James Bentley, they have set their sights on a quarter-final spot and will be disappointed if they don't get it.
"The quarter-finals is something that we have all set our targets on but without getting ahead of ourselves it is one day at a time just building, building, building then hopefully the rest will take care of itself," he said.
"We have got some quality outside backs. I think we have got a lot of attacking strike across the field, and we are going to try and use them to the best of our abilities.
"We have looked at the groups, we have looked at our squad and that is something we feel is an achievable goal, it is not a pipe dream, it is not something that, if we get there, will be a major success.
"That is the goal."
