Morrie Wood

Morris Edwin Wood (9 October 1876 – 9 August 1956) was a New Zealand rugby union player and athletics champion. As second five-eighth, Wood represented the provinces of Bush, Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Canterbury, and Auckland. In athletics, he was New Zealand long-jump champion.

Morrie Wood

Birth name	Morris Edwin Wood
Date of birth	(1876-10-09)9 October 1876
Place of birth	Waipawa, New Zealand
Date of death	9 August 1956(1956-08-09) (aged 79)
Place of death	Paraparaumu Beach, New Zealand
Weight	79 kg (174 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Second five-eighth Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 1894–97 Bush () 1898–99 Hawke's Bay () 1900–01 Wellington () 1902–03 Canterbury () 1904 Auckland 1 () International career Years Team Apps (Points) 1901–04 New Zealand 2 (0)

Wood was a member of the New Zealand national team from 1901 to 1904. His 12 matches included New Zealand's first international test, against Australia. In his final match, he captained the Auckland province to a 13–0 defeat of the touring British and Irish Lions.

Morrie Wood and other All Blacks 'at leisure'

Wood's 1903 long jump of 21 ft 8+1⁄2 in (6.62 m) would have been the New Zealand record, but was eventually assessed as being wind-assisted and so was not ratified. He went on to win the long jump at the 1904 New Zealand athletics championships, his leap of 19 ft 7+1⁄2 in (5.98 m) taking the title from Te Rangi Hīroa.

Personal life

Morrie Wood was born in Napier, one of four children born to English migrant parents. He had four children with his wife Clara Ritchey. After her death, he married Kate Donne in 1947. They retired to Paraparaumu, where he died in 1956 at the age of 79.