Dan Ward-Smith

Daniel Ward-Smith (born 2 January 1978) is a former New Zealand-born English rugby union player who played at number eight for Bristol & London Wasps. He also covered flanker and second row, which made him a useful forward to have in the Wasps squad.

Dan Ward-Smith
Birth nameDaniel Ward-Smith
Date of birth (1978-01-02) 2 January 1978
Place of birthPalmerston North, New Zealand
Height1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Weight112 kg (17 st 9 lb) [1]
SchoolBudehaven Community College
Waiopehu College
Awatapu College
UniversityMassey University
Rugby union career
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Launceston RUFC
Kia Toa
Palmerston North Marist		 ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1999–2005
2005–2009
2009–2011		 Plymouth Albion
Bristol
London Wasps		 138
84
49		 (480)
(40)
(25)
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1999 Manawatu 12 ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2006 England A

Ward-Smith was born in Palmerston North but spent his early childhood in Cornwall in the United Kingdom. He moved back to his hometown with his family when he was 13.

After attending both Awatapu College and Waiopehu College he studied at Massey University.

Career

New Zealand

Ward-Smith has played for Manawatu under-19s and played all twelve provincial games for Manawatu in 1999. Ward-Smith was selected in the NPC XV for that year.

He made two appearances representing the New Zealand Maori Colts, with the aim of achieving a Super Rugby contract with the Wellington Hurricanes. However Ward-Smith eventually pursued a Rugby Career in the UK due to having dual Nationality.

England

Ward-Smith travelled to the UK on a short term contract with Plymouth Albion. While playing rugby in a local cup tie in Devon he suffered an ankle ligament injury which ended thoughts of an immediate return to a contract in pro rugby back in New Zealand.[2]

As a result, Plymouth Albion gave Ward-Smith the offer of rugby in tier 4 of the English club game and in 2000-01 he was part of the all conquering Albion team under the tutelage of Graham Dawe that took the league title with a perfect record of 26 wins out of 26, with Ward-Smith finishing as joint top try scorer in the division with 20 tries.[3][4] A second successive promotion followed at Albion during the 2001-02 season where the club finished second to Orrell with Ward-Smith again becoming top try scorer in the division, this time with 23 tries.[5][6]

Having helped Plymouth achieve stability in tier 2 in a spell in which he scored almost 100 tries, Ward-Smith caught the eye of Bristol, which he signed for the 2005-6 campaign and looked to make a huge impression in his first season in the Premiership.[7]

He was selected for England 'A' in his first season at Bristol, making his debut against Ireland A.[8] In his second season at the club he was called up to the 30-man England training squad for the Autumn Internationals.[9]

He missed out on a place in the 2007 England World Cup squad due to a ruptured patella tendon[10] after being part of the initial training squad.[11]

Dan was named in The Guinness Premiership Team of the Year for the 2006-2007 season as Bristol finished third.

After a promising start to the 2007–08 season with Bristol he broke his hand and missed out on selection for the 2008 Six Nations squad.[12]

It was announced on 24 March 2009 that he had signed a 4-year deal with London Wasps.[13] On 7 July 2009; Ward-Smith was selected for the England Saxons squad.[14] He had been selected for the 2010 tour to the southern hemisphere.[15] However he did not play in the Test Matches but made appearances in the 4 non test fixtures. Notably Dan featured against The Barbarians at Twickenham and was the first person of Maori heritage to play against NZ Maori when he appeared for England in Napier in a fixture that celebrated 100 years of NZ Maori Rugby.

Retirement

In August 2011 he announced immediate retirement from the game due to medical advice.[16]

Honours

Plymouth Albion

International/Representative

References
  1. "Aviva Premiership Rugby - London Wasps". web page. Premier Rugby. Archived from the original on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  2. "Ward-Smith ready to give Scotland both barrels". The Guardian. 6 January 2007. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  3. "National League Three 2000-01". englandrugby.com. 28 April 2001.
  4. "National Three South 00/01 Leading try scorers". Rugby Statbunker. 28 April 2001.
  5. "Rugby Union round-up". Liverpool Echo. 22 April 2002.
  6. "National Two 01/02 Leading try scorers". Rugby Statbunker. 20 April 2002.
  7. "Dan Ward-Smith Record by competition". Rugby Statbunker. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  8. "England A 18–33 Ireland A". BBC. 17 March 2006. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  9. "Hill tips Ward-Smith for England honours". ESPN Scrum. 25 November 2006. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  10. "Ward-Smith faces lengthy lay-off". BBC. 31 January 2007. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  11. "Ward-Smith offered Cup lifeline". BBC. 7 August 2007. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  12. "Ward-Smith suffers injury setback". BBC. 16 December 2007. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  13. "Triple signing boosts Wasps squad". BBC. 24 March 2009. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  14. "Wilkinson returns to England fold". BBC. 7 July 2009. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  15. "England call up Hodgson for injured Jonny Wilkinson". BBC. 25 October 2010. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  16. "Ward-Smith forced to retire". ESPN Scrum. 29 August 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
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