Joe Ford (rugby union)

Joe Ford
Birth nameJoseph Ford
Date of birth (1990-06-04) 4 June 1990 (age 34)
Place of birthOldham, England
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight85 kg (13 st 5 lb; 187 lb)
SchoolRishworth School
Notable relative(s)Mike Ford (father)
George Ford (brother)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fly-half
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2009–2010 Leeds Carnegie 13 (80)
2010–2011 Northampton Saints 5 (10)
2011–2013 Leeds Carnegie 45 (330)
2013–2016 Sale Sharks 48 (166)
2016–2017 Yorkshire Carnegie 22 (223)
2017–2019 Leicester Tigers 23 (116)
2019–2020 Yorkshire Carnegie 9 (22)
2009–2020 Total 156 (925)
Correct as of 2 August 2019
Coaching career
Years Team
2020-2024 Doncaster Knights (assistant)
2024- Doncaster Knights

Joe Ford (born 4 June 1990) is a rugby union head coach of Doncaster Knights. He has previously also been a player for Yorkshire Carnegie, in three other spells, as well as Northampton Saints, Sale Sharks and Leicester Tigers in Premiership Rugby.

Career

Ford was a member of the Bradford Bulls Academy and played amateur rugby league for the St Albans Centurions.[citation needed]

Ford made his professional rugby debut for Leeds Carnegie on 8 November 2009 in the Anglo-Welsh Cup against Leicester Tigers, Ford scored 13 points in 28-17 win. His brother George Ford made his debut for Leicester in the same game.[1][2]

Ford moved to Northampton Saints in 2010[3][4] but returned to Leeds at the end of the season having only featured in five games for the Saints.[5]

After two years in the Championship, including being the third highest points scorer in the 2012-13 season, Ford moved back to the Premiership with Sale Sharks.[6] After three years with the Sharks Ford returned for a third spell with Leeds, now called Yorkshire Carnegie.[7]

In 2017, it was rumoured that Leicester Tigers were interested in signing him as back-up to his brother George.[8] And on 1 June 2017 it was confirmed that Ford would join his brother at Leicester.[9] Ford made his first start on 4 November 2017 against Gloucester in the Anglo-Welsh Cup, and was named captain for the match.[10] On 15 May 2019 he was announced as one of the players to leave Leicester following the end of the 2018-19 Premiership Rugby season.[11]

On 2 August 2019 Ford was announced as re-joining Yorkshire Carnegie in the role of player-head coach.[12] A role he left on 23 January 2020.[13]

He later signed a two-year deal to join RFU Championship side Doncaster Knights as a coach from the 2020–21 season.[14] This deal was then turned into a Head Coach role after the departure of Steve Boden in 2024. The 2024-25 will be the start of his first full season in charge.

Family

Born the eldest of three boys , his brother is England international George Ford. Their youngest brother Jacob (b.1998),is also a professional rugby player. He is the son of former England defence coach Mike Ford.

References

  1. ^ "Leeds' Ford targets starting spot". BBC. 10 November 2009. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  2. ^ "Leicester Tigers cub given harsh lesson at Leeds". 9 November 2009. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  3. ^ "Back sad to see Ford leave Leeds". BBC News. 14 April 2010.
  4. ^ "Saints sign Leeds fly-half Ford". BBC News. 13 April 2010.
  5. ^ "Returning Ford has no regrets about Saints stint". Yorkshire Evening Post. 2 September 2011. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  6. ^ "Sale sign Joe Ford from Leeds". 13 May 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  7. ^ "Three new signings for Yorkshire Carnegie". 29 April 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  8. ^ "George is not the only Ford joining Leicester Tigers". Bath Chronicle. 10 March 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  9. ^ "Tigers add duo to backline options" (Press release). Leicester Tigers. 1 June 2017.
  10. ^ "No ordinary Joe as Ford revels in skipper's role for Leicester Tigers". Leicester Mercury. 6 November 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  11. ^ "Brendon O'Connor and Mike Fitzgerald among huge number leaving Leicester Tigers at the end of the season". Leicester Mercury. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
  12. ^ "Ford rejoins Yorkshire Carnegie in player/coach role". Yorkshire Carnegie. 2 August 2019.
  13. ^ admin (23 January 2020). "Player-head coach Joe Ford leaves Yorkshire Carnegie". The Rugby Paper. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  14. ^ "Former Tiger Ford to join Coaching Staff". Doncaster Knights. 11 April 2020. Retrieved 1 May 2020.