Lewis Moody: Former England rugby captain and World Cup winner reveals he has motor neurone disease
ByTNT UK
Updated 06/10/2025 at 14:12 GMT+1
Former England captain and winner of the 2003 Rugby World Cup Lewis Moody has revealed he has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease. The 47-year-old is not the first sporting figure to have been diagnosed with MND. Fellow rugby players Doddie Weir and Rob Burrow were both afflicted by the disease. Moody made 223 appearances for Leicester Tigers from 1996 to 2010, winning two European Cups.
Lewis Moody
Image credit: Getty Images
Former England captain Lewis Moody has revealed he has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND).
The 47-year-old, who won multiple titles with Leicester Tigers and earned 71 caps for England during his 16-year playing career, has entered into high-performance coaching since his retirement in 2012.
But in a hard-hitting interview with the BBC, the 2003 World Cup winner opened up about his diagnosis and admitted he initially thought he was suffering from a shoulder injury before he was referred to a specialist.
Sitting next to his wife Annie, Moody explained: "A couple of months ago, I noticed I was getting shoulder weakness and went and saw a physio. Kerry [his physio] did a fantastic job, gave me some rehab stuff to crack on with, and nothing really changed over the course of six to eight weeks. At which point, he referred me to a brilliant shoulder specialist.
"I had an MRI, neck scan, all that type of stuff, and very quickly when the scans came back, it became clear that it wasn't anything to do with the neck.
"Despite all the years of sort of throwing myself into contact, he then sent me straight to the neurologist and off the back of the MRI, he actually had a phone call with me where I sensed he was preparing me for the worst, which was fairly difficult information at the time to receive, I suppose."
Moody revealed that he and his wife had processed a lot of emotions over the previous couple of weeks and explained that it was never for himself he felt sad, but moreover for his mother, being an only child, and the implications that had for her.
The former flanker added that having to tell his two "brilliant boys" Dylan and Ethan had been heartbreaking, whilst also sharing a statement with his followers on social media platform X, expanding on how he and his family are meeting the diagnosis head-on.
Moody is not the first sporting figure to have been diagnosed with motor neurone disease. Fellow rugby players Doddie Weir and Rob Burrow were both afflicted by the disease - a degenerative and incurable condition that affects nerves in the brain and spinal cord.
His former Leicester team-mate Ed Slater was diagnosed in 2022 at the age of just 33. But the man who made 223 appearances for the Tigers from 1996 to 2010 has admitted he hasn't been able to reach out to others who are suffering with MND just yet.
"Naively or not, I don't know what's right or wrong in this situation," continued Moody, who won two European Cups and seven league titles while at Leicester.
"We've never been through it, and there is a reluctance, maybe an avoidance, to look into the future.
"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. The fact that I haven't been able to reach out to those people who are suffering with it, I feel selfish that I've not been able to accept that and look into the future, but there'll be a time when I can and when I can process."
Moody was awarded an MBE for services to rugby in 2004 after England’s Rugby World Cup victory, and has dedicated much of the past 12 years to fundraising for The Lewis Moody Foundation in support of those affected by brain tumours.
He is now looking to create an opportunity to support a charity closer to his current situation.
"I don't want to get stuck in the negativity or the doom and gloom. We know the reality. I just want to stay positive. I want to stay in the moment," he added.
"I want to learn and understand what it is. I want to speak to more people and see where we can help as well. I'd absolutely love to be able to support a cause at some stage and hopefully another couple of challenges left in the body yet.
"It's still working, it's still with me, and until the point that it isn't, hopefully there'll be some suits available at that point that I could jump into. But the future's uncertain at the minute, so that's why we're just focused on now."
Rugby Football Union CEO, Bill Sweeney said: "We are all deeply saddened and distressed to learn that Lewis Moody has been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease.
"Lewis represented England, the British and Irish Lions and his clubs Leicester Tigers and Bath Rugby with both brilliance and distinction - one of the toughest and most fearless players ever to don a backrow shirt in the game, earning the respect and admiration of teammates, opponents, and supporters alike all over the world.
"His contribution to rugby, both on and off the field, reflects the very best of our sport’s values.
"Our thoughts are with Lewis and his family and friends at this very difficult time as they come to terms with this diagnosis and I know the entire rugby community stands with them and will support them.
"We are ready to offer practical and emotional support to the Moody family in whatever way is needed and appropriate; and we encourage people to show their support through the fundraising initiatives now being set up and available through Go Fund Me."
Related Topics
Thoughts?
Advertisement
Advertisement