Ford power for Pirates

Bullsharks champ leads old team to epic victory

NEWLY crowned Bond University Bullsharks player of the year Tai Ford celebrated his award by returning to his old stomping ground with immediate effect.

The No.8 scored a double to help the Pirates to their best win of the Gold Coast District Rugby Union season – just two weeks after having to forfeit a game – with a 45-28 result against the finals-bound Eafour gles at Pizzey Park. Ford previously played for the Pirates, inspiring them to the 2015 grand final before joining the Bullsharks in the Queensland Premier Rugby competition.

But with Bond’s season finished and a small window of time before the National Rugby Championship kicks off, Ford headed back to Pizzey to don Pirates colours.

“It was good,” he said.

“I didn’t really have it planned as I wanted to make finals (with Bond) but with NRC next week I hadn’t run around since we finished so I needed to get a run under the belt after putting on a few extra kilos.”

Pirates captain Ben Louisson said Ford had had a noticeable impact on his teammates.

“It’s unbelievable because he is someone who is going so well with their career, going onto Queensland Country – he just comes back and provides the boys with that momentum and that belief,” Louisson said.

“He led from the front and made my life a lot easier.”

Among the players to benefit was Keith Morris, who made a successful switch from lock to openside flanker.

“He probably played the best game he has ever played. Just having the belief of having someone like Tai with him and knowing ‘I can do this’, he got bigger as the game went on.”

Eagles co-coach Jason North said it was good to see Bond players helping the local competition out and praised Ford’s influence on the encounter.

At Albert Park, Surfers Paradise blew Coolangatta Tweed off the park 85-7 as winger Veta Sokiqele scored

of his side’s 13 tries. Griffith University Colleges defeated Palm Beach Currumbin 60-7.