The former England and British & Irish Lions flanker publicly revealed last month that he had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) at the age of 47
Ellis Genge hugs Lewis Moody
There were emotional scenes ahead of England’s autumn opener against Australia on Saturday as former captain Lewis Moody delivered the match ball to a rapturous reception at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
Moody was given the special role to help kick off Steve Borthwick’s side’s campaign, having publicly revealed last month that he had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND). The former flanker, who is just 47, admitted the diagnosis had come as a “huge shock” to him and his family, with messages of support soon flooding in from across the rugby world.
The Leicester Tigers legend’s inspiring bravery in the wake of his diagnosis has caused some of his former teammates to break down in tears and there were more emotion on Saturday afternoon as he stepped out on to the field and brought the entire Twickenham crowd to its feet.
Joined by his wife Annie and teenage sons Dylan and Ethan, Moody was embraced by England’s Ellis Genge as he made his way out to the centre of the pitch with the match ball.
Looking blown away by the reaction, he waved to the 82,000 capacity crowd as they stood to applaud him, while a message reading ‘We are all with you Lewis’ appeared on the advertising banners around the stadium.
Content cannot be displayed without consent
Prior to his diagnosis, the former England skipper had been working out in the gym when he noticed he had some weakness in his shoulder. After physiotherapy failed to fix the issue, he sought medical attention, with a series of subsequent scans showing that nerves in his brain and spinal cord had been damaged by MND.
Also known as ALS, MND is a neurological disorder that affects motor nerves in the brain and spinal cord, leading to muscle weakness, stiffness and paralysis as the disease advances. Over time, this affects an individual’s ability to walk, talk, breathe and swallow.
Tragically, the disease kills a third of sufferers within a year and more than half within two years of diagnosis, according to the MND Association. While treatment can slow the progession of the disease, there is currently no cure.
Moody is the latest professional rugby player to be diagnosed with MND, with the disease tragically claiming the lives of former Scotland and British and Irish Lions star Doddie Weir and rugby league legend Rob Burrow in recent years. Ex-Leicester and Gloucester captain Ed Slater is also living with the disease having been diagnosed in 2022.
Former England international rugby player Lewis Moody acknowledges the fans after presenting the match ball prior to the Quilter Nations Series 2025 match between England and Australia(Image: 2025 Getty Images)
After publicly revealing his diagnosis, former British & Irish Lion flanker Moody spoke to BBC Breakfast alongside Annie and admitted that while he currently feels like “nothing’s wrong”, he is reluctant to look too far into the future.
“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 said. “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.”
“There’s something about looking the future in the face and not wanting to really process that at the minute,” he added as he spoke of facing the full implications of the condition. 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.”
* Follow all of our channels to ensure you stay up to date with the latest Welsh rugby news. Sign up to our free daily newsletter here and our WhatsApp channel here for all the breaking news.
You can also follow us on social media on our X account, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
For more exclusive stories and in-depth analysis, you can sign up for the Inside Welsh Rugby substack newsletter here.
