Keith Wood
Encyclopedia
Keith Gerard Mallinson Wood (born 27 January 1972, Killaloe, County Clare
) 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
.
He was nicknamed 'The Raging Potato' because of his bald head. He was also known as 'Uncle Fester' due to his resemblance to a character in The Addams Family
. His father, Gordon Wood
, played prop 29 times for Ireland.
He started his career with Garryowen who he helped to All Ireland titles in 1992 and 1994 before moving to Harlequins
. He returned to play with Munster Rugby
in the 1999-2000 season and played in the European Rugby Cup
final that Munster Rugby
lost to Northampton Saints
9-8 in Twickenham Stadium
before returning to Harlequins
. Wood made his international debut in 1994
against Australia
. He was capped
58 times for Ireland and five times for the Lions. Renowned for playing with his heart on his sleeve, Wood always put his body on the line with trademark charging runs at the defence, or bullish tackles. Never the most accurate player in the set piece his real strength was in leadership and open play where he dominated the world XV's hooker spot.
He played on the 1997 and 2001 Lions tours, and was the inaugural winner of the IRB
World Player of the Year award in 2001. He played a major part in the Lions' 2-1 series victory over the Springboks in 1997. Wood captained Ireland. He was followed as Ireland captain by Brian O'Driscoll
. Wood retired from playing after the 2003 Rugby World Cup
.
In 2005 the Munster Rugby star was inducted into the Rugby Hall of fame
.
He currently holds a world record of 15 full international test tries scored by a hooker, previously held by Sean Fitzpatrick (12) of the New Zealand All Blacks.
Wood used to play hurling
, and was a member of the Clare GAA
side that played in the inaugural Nenagh Co-op hurling tournament in 1988.
He scored 4 tries in one game in the 1999 World Cup, in the pool stage against the USA. Ireland were later eliminated from the tournament when they lost in a nail-biting encounter to Argentina in the quarter-final play-off.
Keith Wood now works for the BBC and The Daily Telegraph
as a freelance journalist
.
Killaloe, County Clare
Killaloe is a large village in east County Clare, Ireland, situated in the midwest of Ireland. The village is on the south end of Lough Derg, while the settlement spreads across the River Shannon, with the County Tipperary side known as Ballina...
) and educated at St Munchin's College, Limerick is a former international rugby union footballer who played hooker 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...
, the 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...
, 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:...
, Harlequins
Harlequin F.C.
The Harlequin Football Club is an English rugby union team who play in the top level of English rugby, the Aviva Premiership. Their ground in London is Twickenham Stoop...
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...
.
He was nicknamed 'The Raging Potato' because of his bald head. He was also known as 'Uncle Fester' due to his resemblance to a character in The Addams Family
The Addams Family
The Addams Family is a group of fictional characters created by American cartoonist Charles Addams. As named by Charles Addams, the Addams Family characters include Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester, Lurch, Grandmama, Wednesday, Pugsley, and Thing....
. His father, Gordon Wood
Gordon Wood (rugby player)
Benjamin Gordon Malison Wood 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...
, played prop 29 times for Ireland.
He started his career with Garryowen who he helped to All Ireland titles in 1992 and 1994 before moving to Harlequins
Harlequin F.C.
The Harlequin Football Club is an English rugby union team who play in the top level of English rugby, the Aviva Premiership. Their ground in London is Twickenham Stoop...
. He returned to play with Munster Rugby
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...
in the 1999-2000 season and played in the European Rugby Cup
European Rugby Cup
European Rugby Cup is the organising body of two European rugby union club tournaments; the Heineken Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup. The organisation was established in 1995 and is headquartered in Dublin...
final that Munster Rugby
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...
lost to Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints
Northampton Saints are a professional rugby union club from Northampton, England. The Northampton Saints were formed in 1880. They play in green, black and gold colours. They play their home games at Franklin's Gardens, which has a capacity of 13,591....
9-8 in Twickenham Stadium
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...
before returning to Harlequins
Harlequin F.C.
The Harlequin Football Club is an English rugby union team who play in the top level of English rugby, the Aviva Premiership. Their ground in London is Twickenham Stoop...
. Wood made his international debut in 1994
1994 Ireland rugby union tour of Australia
1994 Ireland rugby union tour of Australia. The Ireland national rugby union team embarked on their second tour of Australia, having previously visited in 1979. Both Jonathan Bell and Keith Wood made their senior international debuts in the first Test ....
against Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
. He was capped
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
58 times for Ireland and five times for the Lions. Renowned for playing with his heart on his sleeve, Wood always put his body on the line with trademark charging runs at the defence, or bullish tackles. Never the most accurate player in the set piece his real strength was in leadership and open play where he dominated the world XV's hooker spot.
He played on the 1997 and 2001 Lions tours, and was the inaugural winner of the IRB
IRB International Player of the Year
IRB Player of the Year is an accolade awarded annually by the International Rugby Board. It is awarded to the player who is adjudged to have been the best performer in rugby union internationals in the preceding season IRB Player of the Year is an accolade awarded annually by the International...
World Player of the Year award in 2001. He played a major part in the Lions' 2-1 series victory over the Springboks in 1997. Wood captained Ireland. He was followed as Ireland captain by Brian O'Driscoll
Brian O'Driscoll
Brian O'Driscoll is an Irish professional rugby union player. He is the current captain of the Ireland Rugby team and captained Leinster Rugby until the start of 2008 season. He also captained the British and Irish Lions for their 2005 tour of New Zealand...
. Wood retired from playing after the 2003 Rugby World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
.
In 2005 the Munster Rugby star was inducted into the Rugby Hall of fame
International Rugby Hall of Fame
The International Rugby Hall of Fame is a hall of fame for rugby union. It was created in 1997 in New Zealand and is run as a charitable trust with an address at Chiswick in London. Most of the trustees are also inductees. IRHOF accepts new inductees every two years...
.
He currently holds a world record of 15 full international test tries scored by a hooker, previously held by Sean Fitzpatrick (12) of the New Zealand All Blacks.
Wood used to play hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
, and was a member of the Clare GAA
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
side that played in the inaugural Nenagh Co-op hurling tournament in 1988.
He scored 4 tries in one game in the 1999 World Cup, in the pool stage against the USA. Ireland were later eliminated from the tournament when they lost in a nail-biting encounter to Argentina in the quarter-final play-off.
Keith Wood now works for the BBC and The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
as a freelance journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
.