Player Profile

Known as "The Rubber Man" due to his way of weaving through his opponents, Phil Ford started with Cardiff RFC before turning professional with Warrington in 1981. He also played for Wigan, Bradford, Leeds and Salford and eventually ended up with 423 club appearances, scoring 237 tries, seven goals and ten drop goals in 15-year rugby league career. He won a Yorkshire Cup medal with Leeds. Winning his first Wales cap in 1984 in their final match for seven years, he was the only player remaining from that era when the national side reformed where he scored a famous hat-trick of tries against Papua New Guinea in October 1991. A Lions tourist in 1988, he was a member of the Great Britain team that won the third Ashes Test in Australia. It was their first victory over Australia since 1978. He was named in the 1995 Wales World Cup squad but due to injury, he didn't take to the field. His final Wales appearances were earlier that year as he helped us win the European Championship. Following his rugby league career, he returned to live in Cardiff and played professional rugby union for the first time, signing for Pontypridd. He eventually went onto play for Rumney, then Pontypool before finally retiring for all rugby at the end of the 1998-99 season aged 38. His nephew Lloyd White also went onto also play for Wales.