The Kelso High School former pupil captained Scotland U16 and was a member of the 2002 Commonwealth Games Sevens squad in Manchester. He has also represented his country at U18, U19, and U21 levels. His U19 honours included the 2002 IRB/FIRA world junior championship in Italy, when he played in all four of Scotland’s games as a flank forward, though he soon switched to hooker with Border Reivers. He made his U21 international debut in the 2004 match against Wales at Bridgend, and he played in the age group’s world championship that year and 2005.

Ford won his first senior cap for Scotland in the 2004 Autumn International when he was introduced as a replacement during the opening match. It was over a year before he made his second appearance, reward for a solid season with the Border Reivers, when he came on as a replacement against Wales in the 2006 RBS Six Nations.

More than two years after his debut – following nine replacement appearances – he had his first Scotland start against France in Paris on the final day of the 2007 RBS Six Nations Championship. He was again in the starting XV for the next international, the World Cup warm-up and he continued as first-choice against South Africa two weeks later.

He joined Glasgow Warriors in summer 2007 but switched to Edinburgh in mid-October after the Rugby World Cup.

Ford has turned in a number of eye-catching displays for Edinburgh. He made the No2 jersey his own during the 2008 autumn International series where his set-piece play was exemplary.