Gerry Thornley talks to Ireland captain Keith Wood, maturing with age and part of a structure built to withstand an All Black buffeting

Even the bald wonder was a little taken aback when informed that tomorrow's Ireland game against the All Blacks will bring a double landmark. Not only is it his 50th Test match, which he'd been made aware of, but it's also Ireland's 500th. "Is it really? I've played in 10 per cent of the games," he says with a giggle. "How strange is that?"

Before the tour began, he realised that playing in both Tests would take him to 50 caps. Then he completely forgot about it until after the team was announced to the players on Tuesday morning, when Anthony Foley shook his hand and said "congratulations" at the back of the team bus.

"I didn't know what he was talking about," says Wood. " 'For what?' I said. 'Your 50th,' he said."

Later that same day, in the coffee bar of the luxurious team hotel in downtown Auckland, he's dunking biscuits into his cappuccino and is not really sure what to think about the milestone. He's in a relaxed mood, and the conversation is occasionally interrupted by text messages from his wife Nicola telling him the baby is kicking.

He's only the 11th Irish player to reach 50 caps, yet he says: "I never thought about it any stage of my career. I've never been in the game for collecting caps."

Nevertheless, he's now the elder statesman of the squad, post Clohessy and Galwey. Why, he notes, he was even called "the veteran Keith Wood" recently, which makes him laugh.

There have been many highlights, beating France in Paris, beating England last year, winning at Wembley against Wales, and his first cap in 1994 in Australia. "The first cap is something I revisit every time I'm in the changing room," he says. "I know what the feeling is, it's never far away. I've never got used to wearing the green jersey.

"I often have a look at myself in the mirror with the jersey on, which is what I did before my first game. It was terrifying. I haven't forgotten that, and I don't ever want to forget it. It's a big driving force for me."

The bad days are more of a blur, though Lens in 1999 stands out. "On reflection it doesn't seem such a crime for Ireland any more to lose to Argentina, since Argentina seem to be beating everybody else. And it's funny, perception is king, isn't it?

"I dunno, we've had a lot of bad days but they're far outweighed by the good times. For the first few years when I played for Ireland I don't think we had a particularly good team. I think the crossroads was Twickenham three years ago. The guys who came in since then have been excellent."

The silver fern is one feather still missing from his cap, and the next time Ireland have a similar chance he may be playing golf.

Well though Ireland played last week, this was the first time in 25 games where Ireland failed to score a try - a run stretching back to that fateful night in Lens. Wood says succinctly: "We need to be a tad more accurate and we've to try and take our chances. We've a chance to win."

In his first nine-game spell as captain, Ireland lost the lot, and Wood agrees he was a conduit between coach Brian Ashton and the players, and that it was a very difficult time.

"I didn't mind the weight on my shoulders, but I don't think we had a strong team at the time and I genuinely did far too much. Of those nine that we lost there wasn't a whole lot in there that we could have won.

"I don't think I was a particularly good captain at the time. In fact I know I wasn't. I tried to be an inspiration as much as I could and I tried to do as many things well as I could. I probably tried to do too much. We didn't have a huge number of leaders in the squad at that stage. We had an awful lot of raw talent."

Since Eddie O'Sullivan took over as head coach, it appears Wood has assumed a more prominent role, on and off the pitch. The previous management were inclined to keeping a lid on him, whereas the new management, he readily agrees, have given him his head.

"Maybe it's a maturation process, I don't know. There are certain defined roles within the squad and the management, and you have to fulfil your role. I don't want to take a role that's bigger than what I'm capable of doing. And a lot of this is to try and help generate a level of leadership elsewhere.

"I'm the longest serving international that we have in the squad at present and if I have that experience over that period of time, why would you keep that quiet?

"When you have natural leaders it doesn't become an issue and Eddie is unbelievably thorough. So if he nods or asks you something you say it, and it's the same with any of the players."

The departure of Clohessy and Galwey as lieutenants has left a void, but Brian O'Driscoll and Anthony Foley have stepped up, and the introduction of new players such as Marcus Horan and Leo Cullen, with the return of prodigal sons like Justin Bishop and Reggie Corrigan, has further refreshed the squad.

The ultimate target is the World Cup. "This tour has thrown up five players who were not contenders but are now definitely contenders for World Cup places. It's also given us a chance to put down some fundamentals on which to build.

"A quick fix for us would be the worst thing possible. Any time we paper over a crack, it leaves us more exposed in the future," he says, arguing that the investment in a new defensive system had to be made, even if this meant heavy defeats to England and France.

"We could well have more bad days in the future, and I don't want them to happen, but we are actively going after the next Six Nations and the World Cup.

"We've to do an awful lot of things that are slightly risky, slightly unIrish in a way, take a few chances and see if we can push our standards up. The second you slow down and you're happy with the way you're going, everybody else takes a quantum leap forward."

He has been rejuvenated by the changes wrought by O'Sullivan and the new management team. "I've enjoyed this tour more than any other tour for a long time. I've found it very good. Training is very well structured. I'm learning stuff in training, which I think is the key. You have to keep learning."

He will play another season with Harlequins, but another life beckons and the World Cup seems a natural finishing point. "I really want to get there, and do well there. That's a big thing for me and everything is dependent on how the body and the mind are holding up."

So far, so good. Touch wood.