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Keith Wood of Lions, Ireland and Harlequin fame looks a man at peace with the world. Having stepped away from the world of professional rugby, the bald-headed former hooker says he is now looking forward to enjoying 'the second part of my life''.
If he does it half as well as he did his first part, have no doubt about it, Wood will have a ball of a time. 
For the intensity and passion with which he played the game is clearly etched on his face. It shines through as he sits in the hotel lobby on his first visit to Hong Kong, talking to the Sunday Morning Post. He has passed through Hong Kong before, but never stopped over. An invitation to speak at last night's PCCW Hong Kong Tens dinner, offered him the chance to 'taste Hong Kong''. 
'I was once picked to play for Ireland at the Hong Kong Sevens but I dropped out for some reason. It is a shame for I have never seen the Sevens and I never came to Hong Kong. 
'It is also a shame that I cannot stay longer in Hong Kong. I would love to have spent a couple of weeks here,'' says Wood. He leaves tonight. 
A couple of days in London, and then he is off to France to watch the start of the Six Nations on Saturday. 
He will be working, commentating for BBC. 'I am busier than I have ever been,'' he grins. 
A mobile hooker, whose barn-storming runs fired the imagination, life continues to run along at a hectic pace for Wood. So nothing seems to have really changed at all. Having just celebrated his 32nd birthday on January 27, we query if he stepped down a wee bit too early and if he has any regrets. 
'I knew the World Cup would be my last outing for Ireland. It is young for a hooker to step down at 32. But I have been in the Ireland squad for the past 12 years and that is a long time. I needed to get away from the passion of it all. I was also injured and I knew it was the right time to step down,'' says Wood. 
Not many players would take the brave decision to leave with a couple of years still in the tank. Especially, when one is the captain. 
'I was very proud to lead Ireland. The biggest thing you can do is to captain your country. What made me tick was pulling on the green jersey.'' 
But having made up his mind, there was no turning back. The cracks and the camaraderie of the lads, the buzz of running on to play an international had to come to an end. A chronic neck and shoulder injury which kept cropping up throughout 2003, was a constant reminder that his days were numbered. 
His last game was the quarter-final against France which Ireland lost 43-21. 'I didn't know it would be the last time I was pulling on the green jersey. 
'Obviously I was hoping it would be much later in the tournament. I felt bloody cranky when I realised that this was it, that this would be the last time I would play for Ireland.'' 
Woods has regrets about the World Cup. 'It would have been different if we had beaten Australia in our pool match. We would definitely have gone all the way into the semis then and who knows what might have happened then,'' he ponders over the 17-16 loss to the Wallabies. 
Yes, regrets he has a few. 'I would have liked to have won a tournament with Ireland. I would have liked to have won the European Cup with Munster. I would have liked to have won the English Premiership with Harlequins. I have been on the winning side, but I would have liked to have won more.'' 
Wood is the son of former Ireland and Lions number two Gordon, who toured with the Lions to Australia in 1959 and made 29 appearances for Ireland. The son went one step better than the dad. Wood went on two Lions tours, to South Africa in 1997 (the Lions won a memorable series 2-1) and then to Australia in 2001 (which the Lions lost 2-1). He also played 58 times for Ireland, 33 as captain which is a record. Another record is his 15 Test tries for Ireland, the most by a forward. 
With this pedigree, he is obviously more than qualified to comment on whether England coach Sir Clive Woodward is the right man to lead the Lions to New Zealand in 2005. Wood replies: 'Yes. He will do a good job as he has proved himself. But he has to be careful and see that there is not too much of an English bias to the squad that is picked. Ultimately it is about getting the best team out. If that means English players, so be it. But I would love to see Eddie O'Sullivan [Ireland coach] have a role.'' 
We ask Wood about the half-time talk made by Lions coach Graham Henry during the Second Test in Australia. In his newly-released autobiography, England scrumhalf Matt Dawson accuses Henry of making the worst half-time talk which he says scuppered the Lions in Australia. 
'I can't remember that talk. I can't remember the coach saying anything like that. Maybe he said it to the backs. Anyway there were 10 reasons why we lost that match. Not just one,'' Wood says in all seriousness.
A talismanic captain for Ireland from 1996 onwards, Wood overtook Tom Kiernan's Irish record in 2001 and that year he inspired Ireland to their famous win over England, scoring the crucial try in the process, and ruining the old enemy's hopes of a Grand Slam.
Now he will be a spectator, watching Brian O'Driscoll ('a good leader who will do a good job'') lead the Irish out as the new Six Nations season begins. And is the Six Nations the second best competition in the world after the World Cup? 
'You can't match the tradition and it is great value for money. The fact that it alternates every year is great for the spectators who get to travel. And better still is the fact that the world champions England are now playing in it,'' laughs Wood. 
Married to Nicola (a producer with the IRB World of Rugby television programme), they have one son Alexander with another baby on the way. Wood is looking forward to the family life. He does not want to tread the path most ex-players do and take up a coaching job. 
'I have had a fantastic time and I have loved every minute of it. The game has given me a lot but now that I have retired, I need to step away for awhile. I will still be involved through my work with BBC and my public relations company, but I don't see myself coaching at a senior level. It doesn't appeal to me.'' 
Appropriately enough, his PR company is called Touch Wood. Having begun his playing career as an amateur and ending it as a consummate professional, Wood has made his mark in rugby history. He is at peace with himself. Touch Wood.
FACTFILE 
Date of birth: January 27, 1972.
Position: hooker.
Height: 6' 0'.
Weight: 234lbs.
International caps: 58.
International debut: June 5, 1994 v Australia.
Last Test: November 9, 2003, v France.
Tries: 15


Keith is having a ball on sidelines, touch Wood!