Copyright theage
On Saturday at Twickenham, Lewis Moody will walk out in front of 82,000 fans to deliver the match ball at the stadium where he played the majority of his 71 Tests for England. The flanker’s glittering career reached its pinnacle over 20 years ago when he helped Clive Woodward’s England beat the Wallabies in the 2003 World Cup final in Sydney. Now, though, that match – like all the others – is merely a memory. Moody is confronting the biggest challenge of his life after revealing this month he had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease. Phil Waugh faced Moody in five Tests, most of which saw the pair squaring off against each other as opposite numbers and competing relentlessly at the ruck. Moody’s nickname as a player was “Mad Dog” due to his intensely physical approach and near-total lack of regard for his own wellbeing – something to which Waugh can attest. Now Rugby Australia chief executive, Waugh retains the utmost respect for Moody both as a player and a person – and when he learnt of Moody’s diagnosis, he immediately contacted his former opponent to offer his support.
