Former Bristol Bears boss confirms new club after shock departure

After guiding Bristol Bears Women to four consecutive semi-finals and a PWR final, Ward is stepping away from the Premiership Women’s Rugby scene to return to the Championship side where his coaching journey began. Bristol confirmed his departure earlier this week, saying he was off to pursue “a new opportunity.”

Ward replaces the legendary Paul Turner, the ex-Wales fly-half who’s been the heartbeat of Ampthill for the last 14 years. Turner will step down at the end of the current campaign, leaving some big boots to fill.

But for Ward, it’s a homecoming. He originally signed with the club in 2019 as their first-ever Championship signing, starting as a player-coach before becoming their forwards guru. He left for Bristol in 2021—and now he’s back, ready to take the reins.

Next season brings a revamped Championship with 14 teams, thanks to the return of Worcester Warriors and a club stepping up from National League One. It’s a fresh frontier—and Ward is buzzing.

Before swapping boots for a whistle, Ward, now 39, clocked up spells with Bath, Northampton Saints, and Sale Sharks, before finding his groove at Cornish Pirates and then making a name for himself at Quins.

Now, with coaching stripes from both men’s and women’s rugby, he’s back where it started—this time as the boss.

Arguably, the three worst players to deal with these days are Owen Farrell, Dan Biggar and Johnny Sexton.

Owens has had his say on all three, ranking them from worst to best.

Farrell, the English rugby captain, epitomizes leadership and respect. Renowned for his versatility as a fly-half or centre, he combines skill and discipline, serving as a linchpin in England's rugby campaigns.

Nigel Owens said: "I can only speak from my own experience of refereeing him and, when I did, he was an excellent captain to deal with.

"I have a huge amount of respect for him as a player and a person. He always knew where the line was with me.

"I would say to him that he could always come and talk to me as long as it was at the right time and in the right tone and he always did that."

Biggar, the Welsh rugby sensation, is celebrated for his unwavering focus and passion. A prolific fly-half, he has charmed fans with his skill and respect on and off the field.

Owens said: "Oh god yes. He's so focused and so passionate about what he's doing, we've had a few run ins on the pitch down the years.

"I mean, it's always been in a respectful way as we always have a drink and a laugh after the game."

Sexton, the Irish rugby maestro, leads with intelligence and grit. As a world-class fly-half, he's earned his place among the rugby elite through precise decision-making and relentless determination.

Owens on Sexton and Biggar: “I’ll tell you what, they’re probably the best two referees in the world, Dan Biggar and Johnny Sexton, because when you ref them they always think they know more than you!”

Owens also named the referee who would make the best player, as well as the referee who would make the worst player.

“Which referee fancies themselves as the best player? Well, that would be Nic Berry, because he played at the top level for Wasps and [Racing 92] as a very, very talented scrum-half and a very talented referee as well,” Owens said.