Ireland captain Keith Wood has signed a new one-year contract with Harlequins which will keep him at the club until June 2003.

The 29-year-old hooker joined Quins in the summer of 1996 and made his club debut in the 75-19 victory over Gloucester.

Wood is now Ireland's most capped hooker of all time with 47 caps, and skippered the side to a famous Six Nations win over England at Lansdowne Road in October, scoring the only try to deny Clive Woodward's side the Grand Slam.

Wood, who also has five Lions caps to his name, made his 100th appearance for Harlequins earlier this season in the European Cup against Castres.

Wood will miss tomorrow's clash with Premiership leaders Leicester, however with a calf strain.

Meanwhile, Niall O'Donovan has been appointed to the Irish management team.

The Munster assistant coach joins Brian O'Brien (manager), Eddie O'Sullivan (coach) and Declan Kidney (assistant coach).

O'Donovan, a former Shannon number eight, will continue his involvement with Munster until they complete their 2001 - 2002 European Cup campaign.

England dominate the Zurich-promoted end of year World XV with Keith Wood Ireland's only representative on the selection named yesterday.

England, the Six Nations champions, provided five players - winger Austin Healey, back rowers Lawrence Dallaglio and Neil Back, second rower Danny Grewcock and prop Phil Vickery.

There are three from New Zealand - winger Jonah Lomu, full back Leon MacDonald and centre Tana Umaga.

France also have three in centre Damien Traille, outhalf Gerald Merceron and prop Jean-Jacques Crenca.

World champions Australia have just two representatives - scrum-half George Gregan and flanker Owen Finegan.

There is one from South Africa (lock Victor Mayfield).

The players earned points from statistical analysis of all internationals in 2001 involving countries from the Six Nations and Tri-Nations. They did not include the Lions Test series.