The 47-year-old admitted he’s not ready to fully grasp what his diagnosis means, following in the tragic footsteps of rugby legends Doddie Weir and Rob Burrow
Former England rugby union skipper Lewis Moody has revealed the heartbreaking news that he has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND). The 47-year-old admitted he’s not ready to fully grasp what his diagnosis means, following in the tragic footsteps of rugby legends Doddie Weir and Rob Burrow who both lost their battles with the condition.
“There’s something about looking the future in the face and not wanting to really process that at the minute,” he told the BBC. “It’s not that I don’t understand where it’s going. We understand that. But there is absolutely a reluctance to look the future in the face for now.”
Moody was a key member of England’s legendary 2003 World Cup-winning team alongside stars like Jonny Wilkinson, Matt Dawson, Jason Robinson and Martin Johnson, reports the Irish Mirror. He also had a stellar club career at Leicester, securing numerous domestic and European honours. However, he now confronts the toughest fight of his life.
Moody initially became aware something was amiss when he experienced weakness in his shoulder during a gym session. Despite undergoing physiotherapy, the issue persisted, and subsequent scans revealed nerve damage in his brain and spinal cord caused by MND.
“You’re given this diagnosis of MND and we’re rightly quite emotional about it, but it’s so strange because I feel like nothing’s wrong,” he added. “I don’t feel ill. I don’t feel unwell. My symptoms are very minor. I have a bit of muscle wasting in the hand and the shoulder. I’m still capable of doing anything and everything. And hopefully that will continue for as long as is possible.”
Speaking alongside his wife, Annie, Moody revealed his biggest worry is his family, including his sons Ethan and Dylan, aged 15 and 17 respectively.
“It’s never me that I feel sad for,” he said. “It’s the sadness around having to tell my mum – as an only child – and the implications that has for her. It [telling his sons] was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. They are two brilliant boys and that was pretty heartbreaking.
“We sat on the couch in tears, Ethan and Dylan both wrapped up in each other, then the dog jumped over and started licking the tears off our faces, which was rather silly.”
Moody had been scheduled to participate in the fundraising cross-code rugby match last autumn, organised by Burrow and fellow rugby legend Ed Slater who also battles MND, but was unable to take part due to a knee injury.
Burrow passed away in June 2024 whilst Slater now uses a wheelchair and communicates through a computer.
“It is daunting because I love being active and embracing life, whether it’s on the rugby pitch, watching the kids, whatever it is,” he added. “There’s a lot of questions around what we need to put in place for the future. It’s still so new, I found out two weeks ago. I feel slightly selfish in a way that I’ve been reluctant to reach out to anyone, to Ed. But there will be a time when I can. And I would like to as well. If they’re watching – I’m not ready yet, but I absolutely will [be].”
Moody earned 71 caps for England across a decade-long international career, contributing to three Six Nations titles as well as the 2003 World Cup triumph. He also featured on the 2005 British and Irish Lions tour to New Zealand.
The forward claimed seven Premiership crowns with Leicester and lifted the European Cup on two occasions before finishing his playing days at Bath.
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