In-Form Ward Makes HSBC Dream Team For Hong Kong

Ward was the Ireland Men’s second leading try scorer with four, just behind Terry Kennedy (5), as they repeated their bronze medal success from the Los Angeles leg, winning back-to-back medals on the HSBC SVNS Series for the first time.

With his pace and power to make and finish breaks, along with his defensive strengths and enviable engine, the Ballynahinch clubman’s eye-catching form has helped Ireland (sponsored by TritonLake) to occupy second place in the overall standings.

Having drawn within eight points of Series leaders Argentina, James Topping’s side are building nicely towards next month’s Singapore Sevens, the inaugural Grand Final in Madrid, and the much-anticipated Olympic Games in Paris.

This is the first time Ward has made a Dream Team line-up, and he follows in the footsteps of Kennedy, who gained Dream Team selection in Cape Town and Perth, and Ireland captain Harry McNulty, who was part of LA’s all-European septet.

The 25-year-old forward has scored 22 tries in 29 matches so far this season, marking himself out as the Series’ current third top try scorer with only Kennedy (28), and Argentinian star Marcos Moneta (29), ahead of him.

Joining Ward as the best of the best in Hong Kong were Australia’s Maurice Longbottom, Aaron Grandidier and Antoine Zeghdar from runners-up France, and Te Paea Cook-Savage, Dylan Collier, and Regan Ware, who all played their part in New Zealand’s tournament win.

The final leg of the HSBC SVNS Series’ regular season takes place in Singapore on May 3-5, before the top eight teams in both the Men’s and Women’s Series advance to the winner-takes-all Grand Final in Madrid (May 31-June 2).