Keith Wood facts for kids
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Wood being awarded the Sportsman Shield in 2012
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| Birth name | Keith Gerard Mallinson Wood | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 27 January 1972 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Killaloe, County Clare, Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 106 kg (16 st 10 lb; 234 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | St Munchin's College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Gordon Wood (father) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Keith Wood is a famous Irish former rugby union player. He was born on January 27, 1972. Keith played as a hooker for the Irish national team and the British & Irish Lions.
He also played for clubs like Garryowen, Harlequins, and Munster. People called him 'The Raging Potato' because he had a bald head. He was also nicknamed 'Uncle Fester' because he looked a bit like the character from The Addams Family. Many people think Keith Wood was the best hooker in rugby during his time. He even won the first-ever World Rugby Player of the Year award!
Contents
Early Life and Family
Keith Wood was born in a place called Killaloe, County Clare, in Ireland. He went to school at St Munchin's College in Limerick.
His father, Gordon Wood, was also a rugby player. Gordon played as a prop for Ireland 29 times. He also played twice for the British & Irish Lions.
Club Rugby Career
Keith Wood started his rugby journey with the Garryowen club. He helped them win the All Ireland titles in 1992 and 1994. After that, he moved to play for Harlequins.
In the 1999–2000 season, he returned to play for Munster. He played in the European Rugby Cup final, where Munster narrowly lost to Northampton Saints 9-8. This match took place at Twickenham Stadium. After this, he went back to play for Harlequins.
When he returned to Harlequins in 2000, he helped them win the 2000–01 Challenge Cup final. They beat Narbonne 42–33. This made Harlequins the first English club to win this important tournament.
International Rugby Career
Keith Wood played his first international game for Ireland in 1994 against Australia. He played for Ireland 58 times, which is called being "capped." He also played five times for the British & Irish Lions.
Even though he wasn't always perfect in set plays, his real strengths were his leadership and how well he played in open parts of the game. He was considered the best hooker in the world.
He was part of the Lions tours in 1997 and 2001. In 2001, he won the very first IRB International Player of the Year award. He also helped the Lions win their series against the Springboks (South Africa's team) in 1997. Keith Wood also had the honor of being the captain for Ireland.
In the 1999 World Cup, he scored four tries in one game against the USA. Ireland was later knocked out of the tournament by Argentina.
Keith Wood stopped playing rugby after the 2003 World Cup. Brian O'Driscoll took over as Ireland's captain after him.
Achievements and Awards
Individual Awards
- IRB Player of the Year - 2001
Club Honours
Harlequins
- European Challenge Cup - 2001
Legacy in Rugby
Keith Wood was recognized for his amazing career. He was added to the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 2005. Later, in 2014, he was also inducted into the IRB Hall of Fame.
When he retired, Keith Wood held the record for the most tries scored by a hooker in international test matches, with 15 tries. This was also the record for any player in the "tight five" (the front row and second row forwards). The previous record for hookers was 12 tries, held by Sean Fitzpatrick from New Zealand. His record has since been broken by Joe Taufete'e from the USA.
Life After Rugby
After retiring from playing, Keith Wood became a rugby expert. He has appeared on the BBC as a regular commentator. He also writes as a freelance journalist for The Daily Telegraph.
Keith Wood used to play hurling, which is a traditional Irish sport. In 1988, he was part of the Clare GAA team that played in a hurling tournament. In 2018, Keith opened a café and restaurant in his hometown of Killaloe. It's called Wood & Bell, and he runs it with his business partner, Malcolm Bell.
See also
In Spanish: Keith Wood para niños
