Michael Ward hopes decision to quit teaching post still adds up

After packing in his job to play in the World Cup, Michael Ward knows Ireland will have to pull off one of the biggest sporting upsets of all time if he is to stand a chance of getting a game in the tournament.

The 31-year-old prop with Championship Grand Final runners-up Batley quit his full-time job as a maths teacher so that he could devote himself to the 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, Ireland 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