Mad Dog spirit in evidence as Moody vows to 'embrace life' after diagnosis

FORMER Leicester Tigers and England hero Lewis Moody is determined to “embrace life” after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

- By DUNCAN BECH, PA

The 2003 World Cup winner learned two weeks ago that he has the incurable muscle-wasting condition that has caused the death of fellow rugby players Doddie Weir, Rob Burrow and Joost van der Westhuizen.

A ferocious openside with a fearless playing style, Moody was nicknamed ‘Mad Dog’ in a career that produced 71 caps, three Tests for the British and Irish Lions and multiple domestic and European titles during a golden era for Leicester.

Now the 47-year-old, along with his wife Annie and their two sons, is facing his toughest fight of all after receiving news that he is finding difficult to accept.

“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 told BBC Breakfast.

“Maybe that’s shock or maybe I process things differently, and once I have the information, it’s easier.

“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.