Keith Gerard Mallinson Wood was born in Killaloe, Limerick, on 27 January 1972 and educated at St Munchin's College and the University of Limerick. He played club rugby for Garryowen and Harlequins and at provincial level for Munster. He scored a record number of tries for a hooker - 15 - in 58 internationals for Ireland between 1994 and 2003. He also captained his country 33 times. He toured with the British Isles to South Africa in 1997 and Australia in 2001, playing in a total of 11 games including five tests. Keith Wood was the son of B.G.M. Wood [q.v.] and emulated his father not only as an Ireland and Lions' international player, but also as one-third of an all-Irish Barbarians' front row in defeating South Africa : Gordon in 1961 at Cardiff and Keith in 1994 in Dublin.