Mike Ford (rugby)

Mike A. Ford (born 18 November 1965) is an English rugby union coach, and former professional rugby league footballer.[1][2][3] He is currently the Head coach of the Belgian national rugby union team.

For other persons named Michael Ford, see Michael Ford (disambiguation).

Mike Ford
Mike A. Ford
Personal information
Full nameMichael A. Ford
Born (1965-11-18) 18 November 1965
Oldham, Lancashire, England
Playing information
PositionScrum-half
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1982–86 Wigan 85 24 0 3 99
1986–87 Leigh 27 9 0 1 37
1987–91 Oldham 115 30 1 8 130
1991–94 Castleford 116 51 0 2 206
1995 South Queensland Crushers 15 3 0 0 12
1995–96 Warrington 18 4 1 1 19
1996–97 Wakefield 24 6 0 0 24
1997–98 Castleford Tigers 47 6 0 6 30
1999 Bramley 29 3 0 3 14
2000–01 Oldham 42 7 0 5 33
Total 518 143 2 29 604
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1992 England 1 0 0 0 0
1993 Great Britain 2 2 0 0 8
Coaching information
Rugby league
Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
1999 Bramley
2000–01 Oldham RLFC
2023 Oldham RLFC 6 3 0 3 50
Total 6 3 0 3 50
Rugby union
Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
2004–05 Saracens
(Defence coach)
2005–06 Saracens
2011–12 Leeds Carnegie
(Consultant)
2012 Newcastle Falcons
(Defence consultant)
2012–13 Bath Rugby
(Backs coach)
2013–16 Bath Rugby
2016–17 Toulon
2017–18 Dallas Griffins
2019–21 Leicester Tigers
(Assistant)
Total 0 0 0 0
Representative
Years Team Gms W D L W%
2002–05 Ireland
(Defence coach)
2005 British & Irish Lions
(Defence coach)
2006–11 England
(Defence coach)
2018–19 Germany
2023– Belgium 5 1 0 4 20
As of 25 October 2023

Background

Ford was born in Oldham, Lancashire, England. He was a pupil at Saddleworth School in Uppermill, Greater Manchester, from 1976 to 1981, where he was taught, and coached by Phil Larder. Larder later recommended Ford to Ireland when Larder was defence coach of England.

Three of his sons play rugby union – George plays for Leicester Tigers, and England, and Joe for Yorkshire Carnegie. His youngest son Jacob was the attack coach for Loughborough Students before being named as head coach for Westcliff Rugby Club In August 2019.

Playing career

Ford played rugby league as a scrum-half, playing for Wigan (Heritage № 795), Leigh, Oldham (two spells), Sydney Roosters, Castleford (Heritage № 691) (two spells), South Queensland Crushers, Warrington (Heritage No. 933), Wakefield Trinity (Heritage No. 1097) and Bramley. He won 10 caps for Great Britain.

Ford played scrum-half in Wigan's 14–8 victory over New Zealand in the tour match on Sunday 6 October 1985.[8]

Ford played in Castleford's 12–28 defeat by Wigan in the 1992 Challenge Cup Final.

Ford is a Castleford Tigers Hall Of Fame inductee.[9]

Ford moved to South Queensland Crushers but played just 15 games there.

Ford made his début for Warrington on Wednesday 1 November 1995, and he played his last match for Warrington on Monday 8 April 1996, he made his début for Wakefield Trinity during the 1996 season, and he played his last match for Wakefield Trinity during the 1997 season.

Coaching career

In 1999, Ford joined Bramley as a player-coach,[10] and joined Oldham in a similar role a year later. He retired from playing in 2001 after guiding Oldham to the championship Grand Final. Whilst at Oldham, he started coaching rugby union at Dukinfield RUFC for 5 seasons, winning a cup and two promotions.

Ford left Oldham to take over as Defensive Co-ordinator of Ireland in January 2002 and stayed for 4 seasons, winning a triple crown and helping guide Ireland to 3rd in the world rankings. In September 2004 he started working as a defence and skills coach at Saracens, before taking over as head coach in August 2005.

He served as a defence coach for the British & Irish Lions midweek team on their 2005 tour to New Zealand, remaining undefeated in 7 games (the test side lost the series 3–0). He left his position with Ireland in September 2005.

In May 2006 Ford became defence coach of England, part of the coaching team that guided England to the 2007 World Cup Final.[11] With Ford as defence coach England conceded the fewest points in the 2009 Six Nations (70) and the fewest tries in the 2010 Six Nations (5), and the fewest tries in the pool stages of the 2011 World Cup.

Deciding not to seek a renewal of his England contract,[12] Ford joined the coaching staff at Bath Rugby. He became head coach at Bath in May 2013 and guided them to a Champions Cup spot and an Amlin Challenge Cup final. In 2014/15 Bath finished 2nd in the Premiership and lost in the Premiership Final to Saracens. Ford was awarded the Aviva Premiership Director of Rugby of the Year award in 2015 while his son George won Player of the Year.[13] He left Bath in May 2016 after they had finished 9th in the league.[14]

Ford joined Toulon as head coach in October 2016[15] but left at the end of the 2016/17 season.[16] He then announced his move to the Dallas Griffins. Shortly after he joined Leicester Tigers where he remained until the conclusion of the 2020–21 season.[17]

References
  1. "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. "England Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  3. "Great Britain Statistics at englandrl.co.uk". englandrl.co.uk. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  4. Rugby League 2000-2001 by League Publications Ltd page 224 ISBN 9781901347074
  5. They played for Wigan by Michael Latham and Robert Gate page 14
  6. Rothmans RL Yearbook 1998 by Raymond Fletcher and David Howes page 121 ISBN 0747276838
  7. They played for Leigh by Michael Latham page 18
  8. "1985 Tour Match: Wigan 14 New Zealand 8". wigan.rlfans.com. 31 December 2011. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  9. "Hall of Fame at castigers.com". castigers. 31 December 2008. Archived from the original on 6 May 2006. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
  10. Hadfield, Dave (4 November 1998). "Rugby League: Broncos install Stains as coach". The Independent. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  11. "The Telegraph, 26 Oct 2007". Telegraph. 26 October 2007. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  12. "BBC Sport, 21 Dec 2011". BBC. 21 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  13. "Aviva Premiership Rugby Awards". Getty Images. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  14. "Mike Ford: Bath part company with head coach". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  15. "Mike Ford: Ex-Bath head coach named Toulon boss". BBC Sport. 24 October 2016. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  16. "Ford to Leave Toulon". Sky Sports. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
  17. "Mike Ford to leave Leicester Tigers". Leicester Tigers. Retrieved 17 June 2021.

https://www.echo-news.co.uk/sport/17822004.ford-named-new-head-coach-westcliff/

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