Wood calls for Munster reforms

Editor

Former Ireland international Keith Wood believes there will need to be reforms at Munster, if the province is to achieve the heights that it did midway through the 2000s.

Munster were the Heineken Cup champions in 2006 and again in 2008. However, their current circumstances are not ideal and Wood thinks it will take several years for there to be a reversal of fortunes, if the province starts implementing some of those reforms now.

While some have suggested that there needed to be regime change at the province, Woods thinks the changes need to run far deeper than that.

"I am concerned by Munster, of course I am," Wood told the Irish Examiner

"Munster have had a huge and long period of time at the top table. They are off that top table at the moment and they need to get back there. For that it does require root and branch [reform]," added Wood.

"I think it will take some time. I am not worried by it, rather I am realistic about it. I think it will be a number of years. People say it's a rebuilding phase – it's not, it is the total restructuring of a team that was there for 10 or 12 years," explained Wood.

"It hasn't been filled with players of commensurate quality. Some are. Some players are absolutely fantastic but you need more players to be playing at a higher level all the time. That is the nature of where Munster is at the moment."