Ireland good enough to win a medal in Paris - Ward

Ward switched to playing Sevens rugby in 2021

Ireland Sevens player Zac Ward says the team are targeting a medal at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer.

The Irish beat Great Britain in the final of the rugby sevens at last year's European Games to secure their place at this summer's tournament which takes place at the Stade de France in Paris from 24-30 July.

It will be Ireland men's second Olympic sevens appearance after their debut at the 2021 Games in Tokyo, and Ward believes they are equipped to challenge for a podium place.

"We finished second in the World Series, so I don't think a medal is out of our thoughts," he told Sportsound.

"We're planning on taking a medal as we have a good group to get through, then it is a semi-final and final; you win three games and you're guaranteed a medal."

'I'm going to soak it all in'

Ballynahinch native Ward admits that he still has to pinch himself that he will be lining up for Ireland at the Olympics.

"If you told me two or three years ago that I would be at the Olympics, I wouldn't have believed you at all. It's getting exciting and now I'm starting to enjoy the build-up to it.

"I never really thought I was likely to get here, but fortunately I've worked my way into the team and have been playing consistently."

Ward, the son of former Ulster star Andy, said: "I'm going to soak it all in for what it is as I won't be back at another Olympics."

The 26-year old is excited at the prospect of featuring with Ireland 15s full-back Hugo Keenan, as well as the possibility of facing French star Antoine Dupont who has joined Keenan in switching to the sevens fold for the Olympics.

"I was delighted when I heard Hugo was coming in and it only betters our team," Ward said.

"When you hear of guys like Dupont joining the sevens series it adds to the excitement. He's a generational talent, the best rugby player I've ever seen, and to be lucky to play against him, that's an incentive to keep playing."

Keenan and Dupont will swap 15s rugby for sevens rugby this summer to compete at the Olympics

Ward is the only player from Northern Ireland in the squad and admits it initially took a while to adapt to playing sevens when he began in 2021 after previously playing 15-a-side rugby.

"I had to lose six or seven kilos to play sevens and do a lot of speed work," he said.

"It took me 18 months to get my head around the differences and I had to adjust my game a lot but I think I'm finding my feet now."

Ireland finished fifth in the SVNS Grand Final in Madrid, their final World Series event ahead of Paris, and Ward believes it was ideal preparation for the group.

"Now we have four weeks of training to maintain ourselves and slowly build for Paris where it's all guns blazing," he said.

"It was a completely different set-up we had - a tough pool of Fiji, South Africa and New Zealand - so to come out fairly unscathed and with new guys coming in it was nice to gel together."