Lewis Moody

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Lewis Moody bigraphy, stories - English rugby union player

Lewis Moody : biography

12 June 1978 –

Lewis Walton Moody MBE (born 12 June 1978 in Ascot) is a retired English rugby union rugby player who played most recently for Bath Rugby and was part of the 2003 World Cup winning side.

Moody is known for the enthusiasm with which he plays the game, his willingness to chase down opponents and his ability to compete for possession at restarts, earning him the nickname "Mad Dog" from teammates and supporters. However, he has been criticised for a tendency to give away reckless penalties at the breakdown, which has been attributed by his supporters to his being played out of position at openside rather than blindside flanker. However, historically, the blindside flanker should be of a larger physique than the openside, and invariably the other flanker on the field is larger than Moody.

Background

When he was five he took up mini rugby at Bracknell, when a school friend suggested he join him. He played at Bracknell until 12 years old. He was educated at Eagle House Prep School, then Oakham School in Rutland, where he initially played rugby union at centre before moving to full back. He later studied Business Administration at De Montfort University while playing for Leicester Tigers.

Personal life

Moody married Annie (an interior designer) in June 2006. The couple live in Leicestershire and have a property development company. They have two children.

He enjoys extreme sports—although he suffers from vertigo—and his current hobbies include wakeboarding, travelling and golf.

Moody is a patron and supporter of a number of charities including The Social Entrepreneurs Project, HOPEHIV, Rainbow Trust children’s charity and Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital. In August 2012 Moody highlighted his battle with ulcerative colitis and the impact this had on his training.

International career

Moody scored two tries for England Colts against Wales in April 1997, and was a member of the side that won the Madrid Sevens at the end of that season. He was later called up to the senior team for the 1998-99 "tour from hell" but did not make an appearance.

Moody made his England debut against Canada on 2 June 2001, when the established internationals Neil Back and Richard Hill were touring Australia with the British and Irish Lions. He won a further two caps on the North American tour and scored a try against the US Eagles in San Francisco. He was then called up to the senior squad for the match against Ireland in Dublin in October 2001 and came on to win cap number four.

Continued impressive form saw him challenge his teammate, Neil Back, for the coveted England No.7 shirt, starting in two Six Nations games the following season. Moody displaced Lawrence Dallaglio from the first choice England XV for the 2002/3 autumn internationals scoring a try in the game against New Zealand, but was injured against South Africa and Dallaglio regained his place. He returned to fitness and again featured in Clive Woodward’s plans, but a further injury in the first Six Nations match against France threatened to curtail the rest of his season.

He was not considered for the summer tour due to that injury, but recovered well enough to play in the pre-world cup friendlies against France and Wales in the summer, scoring a try in the game at the Millennium Stadium.

He played a part in all seven World Cup matches and came on as a replacement in the final to replace Hill. He won the final line-out in the phase of play which led to Jonny Wilkinson’s winning drop goal. He missed the remaining 2003–4 season due to a foot injury. With the retirement of Dallaglio and Back, and Hill out injured, he started all three of England’s autumn internationals. Moody remained an England mainstay into 2005. That year he became the first English player to be sent off at Twickenham, when he was dismissed for fighting during the autumn international with Leicester team-mate Alex Tuilagi.

Having missed the 2007 Six Nations Championship through injury, Moody was selected as part of the England squad for the 2007 World Cup in France. Having been named to start a warm up match against France Moody suffered a further injury and consequently was left out of the starting line up for England’s first three games of the campaign. Following a disappointing start to the tournament Moody was called into the starting line up for the final pool match against Tonga, where he was lauded for England’s much improved competition at the breakdown.