All-action Wood revives career after injury nightmare
Northampton back row Tom Wood is hoping to avoid becoming England’s forgotten man after recovering from a potentially career-threatening injury that left him unable to stand or walk.
Wood was named man of the match for an all-action display at No 8 in Northampton’s nine-try demolition of Sale, showing the sort of form that has earned him 50 caps for his country. While he still harbours ambitions of adding to that total, his primary focus is enjoying his rugby again after suffering a mysterious injury in a match against Sale last March.
After undergoing multiple scans, it was eventually diagnosed that he had damaged his pubic symphysis, the joint that connects the pubic bones. It is such a rare injury that Northampton’s medical staff, Eamonn Hyland and Lee Daggett, had to devise a bespoke recovery programme. Even then it appeared touch and go whether Wood would be able to continue playing.
“I had some really tough days over the summer where I could barely stand up and I would have random flare-ups which we could not predict or know what caused it,” Wood said. “There was a point where I was lying down on my living room floor ringing the physios saying, ‘Help, I don’t know what to do. I can’t stand up’.
“It was really that severe at times and I was worried that I might not get back at all. Without being too dramatic, it was a potential careerthreatening injury at one stage. So to be back where I am now and to be out there with these youngsters is a great thing for me.”
At 32, Wood is something of a wise old head among a posse of young pups such as Lewis Ludlam, Rory Hutchinson and George Furbank, who were all equally outstanding against an admittedly wretched Sale team. Furbank especially showed excellent composure to step in at fly-half from full-back when Dan Biggar departed after tweaking his left knee. The Wales fly-half is expected to be fit for the Six Nations match against England on Saturday.
As for Wood’s international future, he fully accepts that England’s back row is flying at the moment. Having been one of the highest-profile casualties of head coach Eddie Jones’s first squad selection, Wood fought his way back into contention and made eight appearances in the 2016-17 season. His last conversation with Jones came last summer and he is hoping the door is not fully shut as the World Cup draws near.
“I think he said get yourself fit and get yourself on form and we will be watching,” Wood said. “Hopefully that’s still true. Whether that is the Six Nations or not, who knows. With the World Cup camp you need versatile players who can play across all three positions in the back row and some experience. Never say never.”