Keith Wood

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Keith Wood
Full name	Keith Gerard Mallinson Wood
Date of birth	1972-01-27
Place of birth	Killaloe, Ireland
Height	1.82 m
Weight	106 kg
Nickname	The Raging Potato / Uncle Fester
Rugby union career
Position	Hooker
Professional clubs
2000-2003 1999-2000 1995-1999 1992-1994	Harlequins Munster Rugby Harlequins Garryowen
correct as of 7 August 2006.
Provincial/State sides
1999-2000	Munster
correct as of 7 August 2006.
National team(s)		Caps	(points)
1994-2003 1997, 2001	Ireland British & Irish Lions	58 5	(75) (0)
correct as of 7 August 2006.
Other Information
Spouse	Nicola Wood
Children	Alexander
Notable relatives	Gordon Wood (father)

Keith Wood (born 27 January 1972 in Killaloe) 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 now works for the BBC.

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 Wood 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.

[edit] External links

• Sporting heroes 1
• Sporting heroes 2

Preceded by Inaugural award

IRB International Player of the Year 2001

Succeeded by Fabien Galthié

v • d • e British and Irish Lions - 1997 South Africa tour
Forwards:	Back • Wallace • Dallaglio • Davidson • Hill • Johnson(c) • Leonard • Miller • Quinnell • Regan • Rodber • Rowntree • Shaw • Smith • Wainwright • Weir • Williams • Wood • Young
Backs:	Bateman • Beal • Bentley • Dawson • Evans • Healey • Howley • Jenkins • Gibbs • Greenwood • Guscott • Grayson • Stimpson • Tait • Townsend • Underwood
Coach:	McGeechan & Telfer

v • d • e British and Irish Lions - 2001 Australia tour
Forwards:	Back • Bulloch • Charvis • Corry • Dallaglio • Davidson • Greening • Grewcock • Hill • Johnson (c) • Leonard • McBryde • Morris • Murray • O'Kelly • Quinnell • Smith • Taylor • Wallace • West • Williams • Wood • Vickery • Young
Backs:	Balshaw • Catt • Cohen • Dawson • Gibbs • Greenwood • Healey • Henderson • Howe • Howley • James • Jenkins • Luger • Nicol • O'Driscoll • O'Gara • Perry • Robinson • Taylor • Wilkinson
Coach:	Henry

v • d • e Ireland squad - 2003 Rugby World Cup
Forwards:	Best • Byrne • Corrigan • Costello • S.Easterby • Foley • Gleeson • Horan • Hayes • Longwell • Miller • O'Callaghan • O'Connell • O'Kelly • Quinlan • Sheahan • Wood
Backs:	Dempsey • Doak • G.Easterby • Hickie • A.Horgan • S.Horgan • Humphreys • Kelly • Maggs • O'Driscoll • O'Gara • Stringer • Wallace
Coach:	O'Sullivan