Irish rugby great Tony Ward reveals battle with cancer

  is it back, Fran?  I thought he got through all this years ago?

The above is in the irish independent Ozy, to my mind one of greatest irish players, and a great Analytical mind about the game,i enjoyed listening to him on T.V.

Thankfully its an old story, published Spet 2014, related to cancer diagnosed in 2012.

WE WISH HIM WELL.

Everyman over 50y should have a test yearly, There nothing to it, a stitch in time and all that.

whats involved in the test, frank?

Ozy I would let it worry you , its only for MEN .......Gynaecologist for you mate...

GO to your G.P.ask him to send you for blood tests in your local hospital,the results will be sent to your G,P if anything is amiss your G.P. will give you a call,.I have my bloods taken twice a year so far so good.OZY

I like Frank60 he is one of the good guys on here but I disagree with everything he says here.

To call Tony Ward one of Ireland's greatest ever players is laughable,he was our worst out half ever.
A fraud that got another fraud to support him,he was pally with Ned Van Esbeck a powerful journalist who mounted campaigns for him,he used get him nominated as Sports star of the month to keep his profile going.

I doubt he ever scored a try,was a competent place kicker that's all,was extremely selfish as an out half and disliked by the other players.

When he played for Ireland they generally lost,when he was dropped and replaced by Ollie Campbell we started winning.
Van Esbecks campaign to get him back in the team eventually was successful and turned out a disaster.
Ward played out half Campbell played centre,Ward took the easy place kicks Campbell the hard ones,that's how powerful this glory hunter was.
However he brought back with him the losing so dropped again.

No sooner was he gone and we were winning Triple Crowns.

The other point I disagree with is this constant taking of bloods,if your number is up its up just accept it all the blood taking in the world won't change it.

Borneo is broadly correct on Ward.

I not go in to my MEDICAL HISTORY here if its ok with you Wildman but i will quote my G.P.that everyman[of a certain age] needs a blood test yearly,in my case i needed it twice in 2014.... Your over the  the top by saying Tony was our worst outhalf ever, but correct about him not being one of our greatest players ever[i got carried away when i read about his health]  Ollie Campbell was a wonderful kicker but not as good  Ward in Creative Play. iM not sure why you call him a fraud,im scratching my head on that one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OeCmST9afg       Tony Ward vs Ollie Campbell - The No.10 Irish Rugby Rivalry , watch from 30sec onward, only 4mins long.

Ollie Campbell was a wonderful kicker but not as good  Ward in Creative Play.

Now i have heard some ridiculous things on here in my time!

Campbell was a creator who took the ball flat (by yesteryear standards), was an exquisite passer, had an allround game but his first instinct was to move the ball.  A dream to play outside  Unselfish and brave.

Wardy's first instinct was to kick, second instinct was to throw a dummy and run himself  No one liked playing outside him because of his selfish nature.

My point on the bloods is a general one.

Can you name a worse out half,did he ever score a try ?

The ward vs Campbell debate was an unusual one. 

Broadly speaking, anyone who knew the game was in Campbell's camp, all casual observers and all women were in Ward's camp (no offence, Frank)

Ward was the first ever recipient of a European Rugby Player Of The Year award for his performances in the 1979 Five Nations tournament.

yeah for kicking the ball (he was a fine fine kicker of the ball, at least the equal of Campbell in this respect, both excellent) , and if i remember one or two weaving runs where he threw a couple of dummys.

don't get me started on Ward's tackling.  Campbell was one of the best defensive 10s ever and I don't just mean Irish 10s.

Basically Sexton v O'Gara except O'Gara has a nice weight to his pass. The similarities between both rivalries are many from what I've read.

ah jaysus.

Please tell me that is designed to wind me up.

Sexton twice the passe ROG is.  It's easy to pass the ball when you are lying 20 yards too deep with sh1te running down yer leg because you havent got the bottle to attack the gain line.

What I mean is O'Gara is more of a kicker but his actual pass, when he does use it, isn't bad. sexton obviously the far more rounded. Ward/o'Gara similar

As in the above it was mentioned Ward wouldn't/couldn't pass, I actuallt thought O'Gara could but his style meant we didn't really see it.

ok, fair enough, I see what you were trying to get at!

Thanks Ozy for confirming your AGE....

^ obsessed.  I grew up on the sideline of a rugby pitch ya gombeen!

he is still getting the cold shoulder from the man utd boys. must be lonely

ONLY ME!!!!!

Ozy , think you have found a friend , Purpose only seems to appear when you're in trouble ,caress his loving heart , before its to late , of course you grew up on the sideline of a rugby pitch , around 1948 I 'd say...Night now...

Frankly, I really could't give two hoots what age you think I am.

Wonky your on another thread with your usual great work lads keep it up and couple of guys having a debate about the merits of some Irish out halves  and your in trying to balls it up.I notice your 1st contribution on the Gowran thread was at 22.12.That was a help ye pr1ck.