Wood's own deadline nears
January 21, 2002

Hooker Keith Wood will miss Ireland's opening Lloyds TSB Six Nations clash with Wales on February 3 if he fails to recover from a torn calf by this weekend.

The Ireland captain pulled up during Harlequins' Powergen Cup tie with Sale on December 15 and has been sidelined since.

Wood on Monday insisted that, to have any chance of playing in Dublin, he must play in Harlequins' Zurich Premiership clash with Northampton on Saturday.

"There is no point going into an international not having played for six or seven weeks," he said today.

"I would be no value to anyone and I'd rather miss it than play badly."

Wood has begun light training but remains unsure whether the injury, which proved worse than he originally thought, will heal in time.

"I've started running which is the main thing, normally you can take things from there.

"The injury proved a lot worse than I initially thought. I tore the calf and there was a lot of blood.

"It's not been resolved yet and nothing is set in stone.

"I've spoken to (Ireland coach) Eddie O'Sullivan but I don't know if I'll be fit."

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