Batley Bulldogs prop Michael Ward set to go unrewarded after quitting job for World Cup shot with Ireland

The 31-year-old prop with Championship Grand Final runners-up Batley Bulldogs quit his full-time job as a maths teacher so that he could devote himself to the Irish cause for the duration of the tournament.

Ireland’s World Cup campaign will most likely come to an end on Friday night if they fail to beat New Zealand – the 2008 winners and world number ones – at Headingley, and Ward will be powerless to help on the pitch after being once more left out of coach Ged Corcoran’s matchday squad.

With 11 players from Super League this past season and six from Australia’s NRL in Corcoran’s 24-man squad, Ward was realistic enough to know he would not be an automatic first choice.

However, after losing two front rowers, Liam Byrne and Jaimin Joliffe, to suspension and a third, Rob Mulhern, to injury, Ward might have been forgiven for thinking he would get a game in the final Group C game.

“That’s what I was hoping but unfortunately that’s not the case this week,” said Ward, who made his Ireland debut against Scotland in 2018. “I’ve just got to hope we qualify and I get a shot the week after.

“We’re a squad of 24 players, it’s not just the lads out on the pitch, it’s the things that we do off the field and in the sessions, we need 24 bodies there.

“So, while I may not be on the pitch as of yet, I still feel I’m contributing to the team.”

Buoyant after their opening 48-2 victory over Jamaica, the Irish are still kicking themselves for an undisciplined performance that resulted in a 32-14 loss to Lebanon last Sunday.

“We were confident going in but we got a little bit too emotionally involved and we tried to solve things individually rather than as a team,” said Ward.

“It was tough to take but that’s rugby league. We’re not out yet, we’ve got another shot, so we focus on what’s coming up rather than what’s gone.”

Still second in the group, the Wolfhounds would not be completely out of it if they lost to the Kiwis but they would be relying on Lebanon losing to the Reggae Warriors in the last Group C game at Leigh on Sunday and hoping their points difference would be enough to secure the runners-up spot and a quarter-final with Australia.

Ward insists the only focus is toppling Michael Maguire’s men, who have racked up 102 points in their two games so far.

“It’s a big ask but we’ve got the confidence and the desire to want to do it,” Ward said. “It’s 13 versus 13 on the pitch.

“The coaching staff have watched all their previous games and come up with a plan that is going to best suit our players to try and take them down. That’s what we’re going to do, we’ll do our best.”

New Zealand coach Maguire has identified Sydney Roosters stand-off Luke Keary as the biggest threat to his side.

“Luke is a quality player,” he said. “I had him quite some time ago at Souths.

“He’s one we need to be wary of because he shows up on both sides of the field. We’ll get a bit of traffic going his way so he will have to tackle a couple of big blokes.”

Meanwhile, Ward will have to start job hunting once the tournament is over but he has no regrets over his brave decision.

“I’m currently unemployed but I’ll deal with that once the World Cup is over,” he said.

“I’ve got a few people reach out, there’s a shortage of maths teachers nationally so I’m not too worried about trying to find a job.”