Former England rugby union captain Lewis Moody has revealed he has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND). The 47-year-old, who was part of England's 2003 World Cup-winning squad, admitted he is not yet ready to face the full implications of the diagnosis.
Speaking to the BBC alongside his wife Annie, Moody described his reluctance to confront the future. 'There's something about looking the future in the face and not wanting to really process that at the minute,' he said. '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 first noticed symptoms while at the gym, experiencing weakness in his shoulder. Despite physiotherapy, the problem persisted, and scans revealed nerve damage in his brain and spinal cord caused by MND. He said, '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. I don't feel ill. I don't feel unwell. My symptoms are very minor.'
The former Leicester Tigers star, who won seven Premiership titles and two European Cups, said his biggest worry is his family, including his sons Ethan and Dylan, aged 15 and 17. He described telling them as 'the hardest thing I've ever had to do.' Moody also expressed sadness about informing his mother, as an only child.
Moody was due to play in a fundraising match organised by fellow MND sufferers Rob Burrow and Ed Slater last autumn but was prevented by a knee injury. Burrow died in June 2024, and Slater is now in a wheelchair. Moody acknowledged the daunting nature of the diagnosis, saying, 'It is daunting because I love being active and embracing life.' He added that he has been reluctant to reach out to Slater yet but plans to do so when ready.
Moody made 71 appearances for England over a 10-year international career, winning three Six Nations championships and the 2003 World Cup. He also toured with the British and Irish Lions in 2005 and ended his playing career at Bath.
