MUNSTER HEAD COACH Clayton McMillan feels teenager Tom Wood shares qualities with Wallaby great Stephen Larkham as the young out-half prepares to make his senior debut for the province this weekend.
Wood is still in his first year in the Munster Academy and is an Ireland U20 international.
“This opportunity for Tom has come along probably a little earlier than we all anticipated, but there’s no denying his talent,” McMillan said.
“It might upset a few Irish people, but I see a lot of Stephen Larkham in the guy. He has long limbs, tall, feels like he has a lot of time, which is a really great quality to have as a 10.
“So if he gets his opportunity to go out there tomorrow it’ll be a proud moment for himself and his family.
He’s a prodigious talent, great left foot boot, sound goal kicker, and like I said, he just seems to be one of those people that has time (on the ball).”
Meanwhile, a young back row combination of Sean Edogbo (21), Ruadhán Quinn (22) and Brian Gleeson (21) are retained from last weekend’s defeat of Dragons.
“I think they all acquitted themselves well, and the challenge for them is to take another step forward and demonstrate that, because I think anybody can have a good day at the office once a week, but the ability at this level to front up week after week after week is the real challenge.”
McMillan has made a total of four personnel changes and two positional switches for the trip to Glasgow.
“The changes are pretty much injury-enforced, so it’s unfortunate, but it opens the door again for a couple of more people to get an opportunity, and we want to give those that performed well in patches last week an opportunity to go again.
“A few injuries in camp, the internationals away, so there’s not a lot of scope for us to make any more changes than the ones that we’ve made.”
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McMillan sees 'a lot of Stephen Larkham' in 19-year-old Tom Wood
MUNSTER HEAD COACH Clayton McMillan feels teenager Tom Wood shares qualities with Wallaby great Stephen Larkham as the young out-half prepares to make his senior debut for the province this weekend.
The 19-year-old is on the bench for Munster’s URC meeting with Glasgow tomorrow [KO 7.45pm, TG4 & Premier Sports], making the matchday squad as McMillan deals with injuries and the loss of his Ireland internationals.
Jack Crowley is away with the Ireland squad in Portugal while JJ Hanrahan misses out with a hamstring injury.
Wood, son of former Munster and Ireland great Keith Wood, provides out-half cover from the bench as Tony Butler starts at 10. Wood’s grandfather, Gordon, also played for Munster and Ireland.
Wood is still in his first year in the Munster Academy and is an Ireland U20 international.
“This opportunity for Tom has come along probably a little earlier than we all anticipated, but there’s no denying his talent,” McMillan said.
“It might upset a few Irish people, but I see a lot of Stephen Larkham in the guy. He has long limbs, tall, feels like he has a lot of time, which is a really great quality to have as a 10.
“So if he gets his opportunity to go out there tomorrow it’ll be a proud moment for himself and his family.
Meanwhile, a young back row combination of Sean Edogbo (21), Ruadhán Quinn (22) and Brian Gleeson (21) are retained from last weekend’s defeat of Dragons.
“I think they all acquitted themselves well, and the challenge for them is to take another step forward and demonstrate that, because I think anybody can have a good day at the office once a week, but the ability at this level to front up week after week after week is the real challenge.”
McMillan has made a total of four personnel changes and two positional switches for the trip to Glasgow.
“The changes are pretty much injury-enforced, so it’s unfortunate, but it opens the door again for a couple of more people to get an opportunity, and we want to give those that performed well in patches last week an opportunity to go again.
“A few injuries in camp, the internationals away, so there’s not a lot of scope for us to make any more changes than the ones that we’ve made.”
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Clayton McMillan Munster Rugby Talent Tom Wood URC