'The most wonderful human' - Greenwood leads support for Moody after MND diagnosis

Former England skipper Lewis Moody has been backed to tackle centrifugal neurone illness pinch "every ounce of his strength" by erstwhile team-mate and chap Rugby World Cup victor Will Greenwood.

Moody, 47, learned he had nan degenerative, muscle-wasting information 2 weeks agone and has told BBC Breakfast he is struggling to face nan implications of his diagnosis.

Rugby convention fable Rob Burrow and Scotland and British and Irish Lions awesome Doddie Weir person some died from nan illness successful nan past 3 years.

"He is nan astir awesome quality that we emotion to his very core," Greenwood, who played alongside Moody for some England and Leicester, told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"It is conscionable tragic news, because he is 1 of nan awesome guys. And I cognize location is nary bid to this worldly - really you time off this satellite - but you guidelines for nan bully guys.

"There is not a nasty bony successful his body. He is nan astir optimistic quality you tin dream to find, and past he had an expertise connected nan transportation to conscionable move a move and beryllium nan astir ferocious competitor.

"He will conflict this pinch each ounce of his strength."

Former Gloucester and Leicester 2nd statement Ed Slater, who was diagnosed pinch MND successful July 2022, and has led fundraising efforts since, said he was "absolutely devastated" for Moody.

Moody told BBC Breakfast that he felt "slightly selfish" for not getting successful interaction pinch Slater since he recovered retired he had nan illness a fortnight ago, saying he has been daunted by what nan early held for him.

"We will beryllium present for you arsenic and erstwhile you need," Slater said successful a societal media message, external, earlier directing followers to a fundraising thrust launched for Moody by his friends.

Rugby Football Union (RFU) main executive Bill Sweeney said Moody, who won 71 England caps and 3 caps for nan British and Irish Lions, "represents nan very champion of rugby's values" some connected and disconnected nan pitch.

Sweeney added: "Lewis represented England, nan British and Irish Lions and his clubs Leicester Tigers and Bath Rugby pinch some brilliance and favoritism - 1 of nan toughest and astir fearless players ever to don a backmost statement garment successful nan game, earning nan respect and admiration of team-mates, opponents, and supporters alike each complete nan world.

"We are fresh to connection applicable and affectional support to nan Moody family successful immoderate measurement is needed and appropriate; and we promote group to show their support done nan fundraising initiatives now being group up."

Former England backmost Chris Ashton told the Rugby Union Weekly podcast that he has thing but respect for Moody, describing his erstwhile team-mate arsenic "a existent leader".

"It's not sunk successful yet," Ashton said. "Even though this is nan 4th subordinate that we each cognize [to person MND], it ne'er gets immoderate easier. I deliberation it's because you cognize what's coming.

"But what a player, what a quality – he's truthful passionate, specified a difficult man. I respect him moreover much for what he is going to spell through."

Danny Care, who played scrum-half for England during Moody's captaincy, besides praised his aged skipper's activity qualities and promised to beryllium supportive.

"It deed maine difficult today," Care told Rugby Union Weekly. "We person seen pinch Doddie and pinch Rob and Ed Slater what this horrible illness does to people. I deliberation that is what scares you nan most.

"I will ne'er hide my first clip successful nan England camp. Moody put his limb astir maine consecutive distant and said 'I will look aft you. If there's immoderate problem - travel to me.'

"We are each hurting for him but we are each present for him."

Retired England backmost Ugo Monye besides said highly of his erstwhile team-mate and is pleased that Moody has recovered immoderate answers.

"He is specified a carer of a bloke - which is specified a contradiction to really he played nan crippled because he was truthful reliable - but disconnected nan transportation he is simply a really thoughtful and really caring person," Monye said.

"I deliberation Lewis thought thing was up pinch him. There's been times erstwhile I've spoken to him astir him having changeless headaches. There's ever been thing conscionable niggling successful him, truthful I'm truthful pleased that he's investigated.

"No-one ever wants to perceive this type of news, but he's taken nan clip to effort and understand."

Kevin Sinfield, who was awarded a CBE for his services to nan centrifugal neurone illness organization aft his friend Burrow's test inspired him to raise much than £10m to money investigation and awareness, sent Moody a connection of support and made a caller vow to tackle nan disease.

"I'm evidently very saddened by nan news," said Sinfield, who is simply a skills and kicking coach for nan England nationalist rugby national team. "I'd for illustration to wish Lewis, and each his family and friends, nan very best.

"I'll support successful immoderate measurement I can. We person to support fighting MND [motor neurone disease] together."

Andrea Pinchen, Sweeney's counterpart astatine Leicester Tigers wherever Moody made 223 appearances, winning 7 English titles and 2 European crowns complete 14 years, besides paid tribute to Moody arsenic a person, arsenic good arsenic a player.

"The figures, trophies and awards show you what an unthinkable subordinate Lewis was, but that is only half nan story," said Pinchen.

"One infinitesimal he's parading astir pinch nan World Cup trophy and nan pursuing Friday he'd beryllium successful nan summons agency wherever I worked, answering nan telephone to supporters if we were really engaged and helping waste tickets.

"As an individual, his committedness to his nine on pinch his warmth and passion shone through, which endeared him to team-mates, unit and supporters alike.

"Always looking to thief others, Lewis together pinch his woman Annie person worked tirelessly done nan Lewis Moody Foundation, supporting investigation into encephalon tumours and helping affected families.

"He perfectly threw himself in. It was very overmuch lead by example. He would ne'er inquire personification to do thing he wouldn't do himself. He is utterly fearless."

Football's Leicester City added their support, describing Moody arsenic "a sporting awesome of our city"., external

Affecting astir 5,000 group successful nan UK astatine immoderate 1 time, centrifugal neurone illness is simply a neurological information which gets progressively worse complete time.

Motor neurones are nervus cells successful nan encephalon and spinal cord that transportation messages to muscles controlling activity which, erstwhile damaged, interrupt signals to muscles, starring to musculus weakness, nonaccomplishment of activity and musculus wasting.

It tin besides impact reside and nan expertise to locomotion and respire unaided.

Motor neurone illness is astir communal among over-50s - though it tin impact group astatine a overmuch younger property - and while much than 50% of those affected dice wrong 2 years of diagnosis, life expectancy tin alteration considerably.

Stephen Hawking had a rare, slow-progressing shape of nan disease, surviving much than 50 years pinch nan information - and tests of an immunotherapy supplier interleukin-2 propose it tin widen endurance for those pinch little fierce disease.

A Scottish study 3 years agone recovered that erstwhile world rugby players were much than 15 times much apt to create MND than nan wide population, and were besides much apt to create dementia and Parkinson's.

The investigation is not definitive and arsenic yet location is nary proven link, but it has highlighted nan request to minimise nan risks of caput wounded successful sport.

Several much investigation projects are nether way, which look astatine nan biologic mechanisms astatine activity and nan grade of immoderate risk.

Moody's extended question and reply connected MND diagnosis