Lewis Moody, Ex-England Captain, Reveals ALS Diagnosis

Lewis Moody, Rugby World Cup Winner, Reveals ALS Diagnosis

Former England rugby player Lewis Moody, a Rugby World Cup winner, has been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND). Moody, 47, shared the news in an interview, two weeks after receiving the diagnosis of this degenerative muscle disease.

“There’s something about looking at the future in the face and not really wanting to process that at the moment. It’s not that I don’t understand where it’s going. We understand it. But there’s absolutely a reluctance to look at the future in the face for now”.

Lewis Moody

Moody was a key player in England’s 2003 triumph and accumulated 71 appearances between 2001 and 2011. He played in all seven World Cup matches in Australia, and in the final against the host country, he won the toss that led to Jonny Wilkinson’s decisive drop goal. He also participated in the 2005 British and Irish Lions tour. At the national level, he won seven Premiership titles with the Leicester Tigers and two Heineken Cups, ending his career at Bath. During his time as a player, Moody was a relentless flanker, known for his incredible work rate and considered a true team player. He was a ferocious tackler, an outstanding operator in the ruck area and was recognized as one of the best players to have graced the game in the professional era.

The MND is a degenerative neurological condition that generally shortens life. Specific symptoms and the speed at which muscle weakness develops can vary between individuals. There is no cure. Moody revealed that he noticed the first symptoms after feeling weakness in his shoulder while at the gym. After physiotherapy, scans revealed damage to the nerves in his brain and spinal cord due to MND. Former rugby players Doddie Weir and Rob Burrow passed away from this disease in recent years.

“You get this MND diagnosis and we’re rightly quite emotional about it, but it’s so strange because I feel like nothing’s happening. I don’t feel ill. I don’t feel bad. My symptoms are very mild. I’ve got a little bit of muscle wastage in my hand and shoulder. I’m still able to do anything and everything. And I hope that continues for as long as possible”.

Lewis Moody

In a social media post, Moody expressed that, although the diagnosis was a “shock,” he is receiving good support from his family and medical professionals. He added that he is “truly grateful to those who, at the time, helped advance research to support others, like me, who live with this disease.” Moody retired from international rugby in 2011 and left the professional game a year later.

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has stated that it will support Moody and his family. “We are all deeply saddened and distressed to learn that Lewis Moody has been diagnosed with motor neuron disease,” said RFU CEO Bill Sweeney in a statement. “Lewis represented England, the British and Irish Lions, and his clubs Leicester Tigers and Bath Rugby with brilliance and distinction, one of the toughest and bravest players ever to wear a back row jersey in the game, earning the respect and admiration of teammates, opponents, and supporters alike worldwide.” Moody’s former clubs also offered their support in separate statements after he revealed his diagnosis. “The figures, the trophies and the awards tell you what an incredible player Lewis was, but that’s only half the story,” said Leicester Tigers chief executive Andrea Pinchin. Bath Rugby Chief Executive, Tarquin McDonald, added: “This is heartbreaking news and our thoughts and best wishes are with Lewis, his immediate family and his wider circle of friends and loved ones.”