Keith Wood (born 27 January 1972 in Killaloe) is a former international rugby union footballer who played hooker for Ireland, the Lions, Harlequins and Munster. January 27 is the 27th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year that started on a Tuesday. ... Killaloe is a town in east County Clare, Republic of Ireland, situated in the midwest of Ireland. ... A rugby union team is made up of 15 players: eight forwards, numbered from 1 to 8; and seven backs, numbered from 9 to 15. ... The official 2005 Lions logo The British and Irish Lions (formerly British Isles and then the British Lions; commonly the Lions) is a Rugby Union side comprising a pick of the best players from the British Isles international teams - ( England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales). ... The Harlequin Football Club (The Harlequins or Quins for short) is an English rugby union team who play in National Division One. ... The Irish Rugby Football Union Munster Branch (also known as Munster Rugby) is one of four branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union in the Irish province of Munster. ...

He started his career with Garryowen who he helped to All Ireland titles in 1992 and 1994 before moving to Harlequins. He played 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 most world XV's hooker spot.

He was nicknamed 'The Ragine 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 is the creation of American cartoonist Charles Addams. ...

His father, Gordon Wood, played prop 29 times for Ireland. A rugby union team is made up of 15 players: eight forwards, numbered from 1 to 8; and seven backs, numbered from 9 to 15. ...

He played on the 1997 and 2001 Lions tours, and was the first 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. The International Rugby Board (IRB), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is the world governing and law-making body for the game of Rugby Union (as opposed to Rugby League—see the respective entries for differences between the two). ... Brian Gerald ODriscoll (21 January 1979, Dublin) is the current captain of the Irish rugby union national team and was the captain of the British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand in 2005. ... The 2003 Rugby Union World Cup was the fifth world cup in rugby history. ...

External links

• Player stats from planet rugby
• Sporting heroes 1
• Sporting heroes 2