Kiwi spell educating
TOM Wood could have challenged for a place in New Zealand’s back row rather than England’s but for the intervention of a Welsh coach.
The 35-year-old Northampton forward, who is retiring at the end of the season after a senior career that started with Worcester in 2007, was playing in Otago having taken time out from the Warriors’ academy because he wanted to learn through playing rather than pumping iron.
A family connection put him in touch with the Western Valley club in Oamaru and he spent a season there, graduating to the North Otago side. He was pondering whether to remain in New Zealand when he called Mike Ruddock, the former Wales coach who had just taken charge of Worcester.
“I had gone to New Zealand because while I loved life in the academy, what it was instilling into players, how to train hard, be disciplined and eat well, I had naturally,” said Wood, who won 50 caps, was part of two Six Nations winning sides and led Northampton to success in the Premiership and the European Challenge Cup in 2014.
“What it did not provide was a lot of gametime and some of the skills and flair and things I saw as weaknesses and needed to work on. I wanted to play rugby and in an academy system sometimes you spend all your days in gyms and training and do not play games.
“You can become a bit of a robot in that environment, one of many. So many people come in to the academy and do ok, but if you are just part of the system, doing what everyone else is, you are lucky to break into the small percentage who make it.
“I felt I had to buck the trend and do something different. I was confident I could get fit and strong and eat well in my own time. I wanted to play some games and get a life experience. I do not think the academy coaches believed me at the time and were nervous about me going to New Zealand.
“They felt I could have treated it as a gap year, using rugby as a vehicle to have a jolly, but in my mind it was all about rugby. I remember talking to my dad and he said that if you were going to be a doctor or an architect, which university would you go to?
“When I decided I wanted to be a rugby player, we saw New Zealand as that university, somewhere to set me apart from the other academy lads who were training just as hard and lifting weights all day. What would make me different?”
Wood settled in quickly on the South Island, although the rugby was a culture shock, not only because it was the national sport but because gameplans were less structured and initiative encouraged.
“I ended up playing semi-professionally and established my own training programme that would reflect what the academy lads at home were doing,” said Wood. “I had no promises when I went out there and how I got on would depend on how good I was.
“I was picked for North Otago after playing for Western Valley. I latched on to a couple of experienced old-school rugby men, Mike Maykeeper and Barry Fox, and they helped me throughout my stay. The landlady at the local
bar, Fat Sally’s, also looked after me with free lunches.
“I do not want to come across as being critical of the academy system. It works and it has changed a lot since then, but I just felt it did not suit me at that time. I played against men in North Otago and I developed quickly in a baptism of fire.
“Martin Johnson had done the same before me in King Country and I was aware of that. I had signed a contract with Worcester that kept me ticking over which I was grateful for, and when Mike Ruddock took over from John Brain I rang him to say I had opportunities in New Zealand.
“The Highlanders and Otago had apparently taken notice of my performances and there were murmurs there could be an opportunity. Part of me felt that if Worcester did not want me, I’d stay and push for honours there.
“But Mike said he had heard really good things about me and he was starting all over again. He told me to come back for preseason and if I trained well there was every chance I’d play. I made my debut for Worcester in the first game that season. I went out to New Zealand as a boy and came back a man.”
New Zealand’s loss was England’s gain. Wood spent three seasons at Worcester before joining Saints and made his England debut against Wales in the 2011 Six Nations. But for injury, he would have finished far closer to 100 caps.
“I loved my time at Worcester but became frustrated with their ambition not matching mine,” said Wood, who has set up a joinery and tree surgery business with clubmate Alex Waller. “I feel blessed to have had my career and do not worry about what could have been different.
“I loved playing alongside Chris Robshaw, the England captain for most of my Test career. I saw myself as his first lieutenant. Captaincy was something I never coveted: the more you want it, the worse you tend to be at it, but I feel privileged to have been asked to do it.
“My message to young players is that your career flies by. Take every opportunity that comes your way.”