Winger Zac Ward pens three-year contract with Ulster
Winger Zac Ward has penned a three-year deal with UIster that will see him remain with the Province until 2028.
Ward’s new contract was confirmed by Ulster Rugby on Thursday.
The 26-year-old, whose father was a European Cup winner with Ulster in 1999, said he “always dreamed” of pulling on the jersey of his home club.
Ward, who made his Ulster debut against Bordeaux in the recent Champions Cup defeat, said: “After the summer Olympics in Paris, I was ready for a change after some amazing experiences with the Ireland Sevens programme.
“I always dreamed of playing for my home province as a boy, as I watched my dad play in an Ulster jersey growing up.
“I'm also mates with a few of the guys who were already in the side and the others were fantastic in welcoming me into the set-up.
“With the help of the coaches, players and staff here, I want to kick on and hopefully make plenty of good memories playing for Ulster.”
Ward has kept his starting place in the side for Friday's United Rugby Championship clash against Munster at Kingspan Stadium.
Ulster general manager Bryn Cunningham added: “We identified Zac as somebody who could be a good addition to the Senior squad, and we have been impressed with how he has settled into the group.
“Watching his performances in the Sevens game, we felt that he showcased a number of transferable skills for the XVs game, with his strengths in ball-carrying, his speed, aerial skills, and try-scoring ability all strong attributes for playing in the backfield.”