Oamaru's Peter and Rosalae Armstrong will be glued to their television set when former North Otago loose forward Tom Wood makes his international debut tomorrow morning.
Wood (24) has been named at blindside flanker in the England team for the Six Nations opener against Wales at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
Wood came to New Zealand in 2006 to gain grassroots rugby experience and played 10 games for North Otago when he lived in Oamaru.
He played club rugby for Valley, and met a local girl, Sarah Armstrong (29), who followed him back to England. The couple live in Northampton and have a 2-year-old son, Oliver.
"Sarah rang me on Wednesday morning to say that Tom would be named in the England team later that day," Rosalae Armstrong said yesterday.
"Peter and I were delighted at the news. Tom has worked really hard and deserves to be there."
Wood will receive his England cap before the game in Cardiff. Sarah and Wood's parents, Andy and Debbie Wood, have been invited.
"It will be an emotional time and a few tears will be shed," Rosalae said.
England plays Romania in the World Cup in Dunedin in September, and Sarah and Oliver will travel back to Oamaru if Wood is selected.
Wood felt the time he spent in North Otago played a significant role in the development of his rugby career.
He told Reuters he " wanted to break the mould a little bit after being in the academy system. I wanted to be in the real world so I went out to New Zealand for eight months.
"I went out there predominantly for rugby but enjoyed every aspect of it. I worked full-time, managed my rugby around it, and tried to keep a professional approach."
Wood worked as a farm labourer, a builder and then a store manager by day and trained hard at night as he sought to win over his new team-mates.
"I was Tom the Pom from the start and the abuse was coming from all angles," he said. "I wanted to go back to the amateur game.
"There were guys there working all day on farms then running over hot coals to make a Tuesday night training session."
North Otago chief executive Colin Jackson was delighted when he heard the news.
"I'm very proud of Tom," Jackson said. "He got his first overseas rugby experience with North Otago and the Valley club.
"Andy Wood emailed me with the news last night. It is an exciting time."
When Wood played for North Otago he was a young, raw-boned player.
"He is now twice that size," Jackson said. "When he was with us he was very active and put everything into his rugby."
The Six Nations test between England and Wales screens live on ESPN from 8.30am tomorrow.
