Saints will play it safe with Wood
TOM ON ROAD TO RECOVERY
TOM WOOD claims he has never been “fitter or friskier” despite waking with a clot on his lung last month.
The Northampton forward told of the “strange and uncomfortable couple of days” he spent tackling a pulmonary embolism, describing it as “my little health blip”.
But despite declaring himself “completely symptom free after passing a full MOT”, Saints are unlikely to risk him until next season.
Director of rugby Chris Boyd said: “Woody woke with some fairly severe pain, which was diagnosed as a pulmonary embolism that came out of one of his legs – much the same as a DVT (deep-veined thrombosis).
“Those clots, when they dislodge and end up getting into major organs, can be a fairly significant problem. He can’t take contact as you can’t afford a bleed when you’re on blood-thinning medication, so he is probably on light duties and nonselection until the end of the season. But he’s come back and reckons he’s never been fitter or friskier.”
Fraser Dingwall revealed the shock felt by the squad on learning Wood’s news.
“He is pretty indestructible,” said the centre. “So it was quite a shock, but seeing him has eased everyone’s nerves.”
NEW Gloucester boss George Skivington says putting together a management team made up of Wasps old boys is not about “trying to bring back the magic ofWasps”.
Coaches Skivington, Alex King, Dom Waldouck and Trevor Woodman won Premierships and European Cups together at Wasps in the 2000s.