Gordon Wood (rugby player)
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Gordon Malison Wood (born Limerick
, Ireland 20 June 1931 – died Limerick
, Ireland, 18 May 1982) is a former rugby union
footballer who represented Ireland
and the British and Irish Lions
during the 1950s and early 1960s. He also played for both Garryowen
and Munster
. His son Keith Wood
would later play for the same four teams.
and once scored four tries - playing at wing against Mungret College
. Among his team mates while playing for Crescent was the actor Richard Harris
.
and 1961
, Wood made 29 full appearances for Ireland
. He made his Ireland debut on 13 February 1954 in 14-3 defeat against England
at Twickenham
. He scored his only try on 27 February 1960
in a 6-5 defeat against Scotland
at Lansdowne Road
. Wood made his last full appearance for Ireland on 13 May 1961 in a 24-8 away defeat against South Africa
.
, Andy Mulligan
, Ronnie Dawson
, Syd Millar
and Noel Murphy, Wood was part of a strong Ireland
contingent included in the British Lions
squad for their 1959 tour to Australia and New Zealand
. Wood played in 15 of the 33 tour games, including two Test games against New Zealand. He made his debut for the Lions against Victoria
on 23 May and played his final game against North Auckland
on 12 September. He scored two tries on the tour - one against New Zealand Universities on 1 July and another against Marlborough and Nelson Bays
on 29 July.
. The club continues to play an annual challenge match against an Irish Defence Forces XV
in his honour with the winners being awarded the Gordon Wood Trophy.
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
, Ireland 20 June 1931 – died Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
, Ireland, 18 May 1982) is a former rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
footballer who represented Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
and the British and Irish Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
during the 1950s and early 1960s. He also played for both Garryowen
Garryowen Football Club
Garryowen Football Club , usually referred to as Garryowen, is a rugby union club from Limerick, Ireland. Historically it has been one of the most successful clubs in Irish rugby union leagues.-Name:...
and Munster
Munster Rugby
Munster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Munster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup.The team represents the Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish...
. His son Keith Wood
Keith Wood
Keith Gerard Mallinson Wood and educated at St Munchin's College, Limerick is a former international rugby union footballer who played hooker for Ireland, the Lions, Garryowen, Harlequins and Munster....
would later play for the same four teams.
Early years
Woods was educated at Crescent CollegeCrescent College
Crescent College Comprehensive SJ is a secondary school located on a section of 40 acres of parkland at Dooradoyle, Limerick, Ireland. The college is one of a number of Jesuit schools in Ireland.- History :...
and once scored four tries - playing at wing against Mungret College
Mungret College
Mungret College, situated west of Limerick, Ireland, near the village of Mungret, was a Jesuit apostolic school and a lay secondary school from 1882 until 1974 when it closed as a school for the last time. The college produced over 1000 priests in that period...
. Among his team mates while playing for Crescent was the actor Richard Harris
Richard Harris
Richard St John Harris was an Irish actor, singer-songwriter, theatrical producer, film director and writer....
.
Ireland
Between 19541954 Five Nations Championship
The 1954 Five Nations Championship was the twenty-fifth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the sixtieth series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship. Ten matches were played between 9...
and 1961
1961 Ireland rugby union tour of South Africa
1961 Ireland rugby union tour of South Africa. Between 1906 and 1960 South Africa had played Ireland on five occasions. However all of these games had been played in Ireland. In 1960 South Africa had beaten Ireland 8-3 at Lansdowne Road. The following year Ireland embarked on their first tour of...
, Wood made 29 full appearances for Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
. He made his Ireland debut on 13 February 1954 in 14-3 defeat against England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
. He scored his only try on 27 February 1960
1960 Five Nations Championship
The 1960 Five Nations Championship was the thirty-first series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship. Including the previous incarnations as the Home Nations and Five Nations, this was the sixty-sixth series of the northern hemisphere rugby union championship. Ten matches were played between...
in a 6-5 defeat against Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
at Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road was a stadium in Dublin owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union that has been the location of a number of sports stadiums. It was used primarily for rugby union and for association football matches as well as some music concerts...
. Wood made his last full appearance for Ireland on 13 May 1961 in a 24-8 away defeat against South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
.
British & Irish Lions
Together with Tony O'ReillyTony O'Reilly
Sir Anthony Joseph Francis O'Reilly is an Irish businessman and former international rugby union player. He is known for his involvement the Independent News & Media Group, which he led from 1973 to 2009, and as former CEO and Chairman of the H.J. Heinz Company. He was the leading shareholder of...
, Andy Mulligan
Andy Mulligan
Andrew Armstrong Mulligan, was born on 4 February 1936 et Kasauli, a small cantonment town in Solan district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, and died on 24 February 2001...
, Ronnie Dawson
Ronnie Dawson (rugby player)
Alfred Ronald "Ronnie" Dawson played hooker for Ireland and was captain of the British Lions rugby union team on their 1959 tour to Australia, New Zealand and Canada.Ronnie was educated in St...
, Syd Millar
Syd Millar
Sydney "Syd" Millar, CBE, is the outgoing chairman of the International Rugby Board. He was born in Ballymena and previously played for Ballymena RFC and represented Ireland in the pack, winning 37 caps as a prop. In addition, he played 9 times for the British and Irish Lions...
and Noel Murphy, Wood was part of a strong Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
contingent included in the British Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
squad for their 1959 tour to Australia and New Zealand
1959 British Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand
In 1959 the British Lions rugby union team toured Australia and New Zealand. The Lions won the two test matches against but lost the international series against the All Blacks by three matches to one. They also played two matches in Canada, on the return leg of the journey.Although New Zealand...
. Wood played in 15 of the 33 tour games, including two Test games against New Zealand. He made his debut for the Lions against Victoria
Victorian Rugby Union
The Victorian Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union in the state of Victoria, Australia. The VRU manages 26 clubs in metropolitan Melbourne, regional Victoria,and the border region of NSW which compromises 156 junior, senior mens and women's teams.-History:The Victorian Rugby Union was...
on 23 May and played his final game against North Auckland
Northland Rugby Union
The Northland Rugby Football Union is the governing body of rugby union in the Northland region of New Zealand.-History:Rugby was first played in Northland in the 1870s, and the first union was set up in the province in 1895, known as the Marsden Football Union. The Northland union was founded in...
on 12 September. He scored two tries on the tour - one against New Zealand Universities on 1 July and another against Marlborough and Nelson Bays
Tasman Rugby Union
The Tasman Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union at the top of the South Island in New Zealand. It is New Zealand's newest provincial union, founded in 2006 with the amalgamation of the existing Marlborough and Nelson Bays sub unions...
on 29 July.
Gordon Wood Trophy
Wood later became the first coach of the Garda Rugby Football ClubGarda RFC
Garda RFC is the rugby team of the Garda Síochána, the national police force of Ireland. They play in Division One of the Leinster League.-History:The club was founded in February 1965 by rugby enthusiasts at the Garda Station in Pearse Street....
. The club continues to play an annual challenge match against an Irish Defence Forces XV
Irish Defence Forces
The armed forces of Ireland, known as the Defence Forces encompass the Army, Naval Service, Air Corps and Reserve Defence Force.The current Supreme Commander of the Irish Defence forces is His Excellency Michael D Higgins in his role as President of Ireland...
in his honour with the winners being awarded the Gordon Wood Trophy.