Lewis Moody will forever be remembered as one of the heroes of England’s 2003 Rugby World Cup triumph.
The former Leicester Tigers flanker won 71 caps for England, toured twice with the British & Irish Lions and captained his country during an incredible career.
Known as ‘Mad Dog’ for the way he played, Moody was never far from the action.
But there is plenty you probably don’t know about the England legend.
Here are 10 facts about Lewis Moody.
1. His son plays football for England
Sport clearly runs in the family.
Moody’s son Dylan went down a different route and is now a goalkeeper with Southampton.
He has also represented England at youth level.
Lewis was there for a special moment in 2025 when Dylan saved a penalty for England during a 1-0 victory against France.
2. ‘Mad Dog’ wasn't his only nickname
Most rugby fans know Moody as ‘Mad Dog’.
It made sense. He chased kicks like his life depended on it and never seemed particularly bothered about where his body ended up.
But it wasn't his only nickname.
Speaking to Rugby World, Moody revealed teammates also called him ‘Moodoss’ and ‘Lewju’.
The second one came about because his dad was also called Lewis.
3. He supported Leicester before playing for them
Moody didn't just become a Leicester Tigers legend.
He was a fan first.
He watched Tigers growing up before eventually getting the chance to play for the club himself.
Moody went on to make more than 200 appearances for Leicester and won pretty much everything there was to win.
4. He made his Leicester debut at 18
He didn't have to wait long either.
Moody made his league debut for Leicester aged just 18 years and 94 days, becoming their youngest league player at the time.
His spell at Welford Road would eventually bring multiple league titles and back-to-back European Cup triumphs.
Not bad for someone who had previously watched from the terraces.
5. He went to the cinema before games
This one probably doesn't fit the ‘Mad Dog’ image.
Moody revealed that going to the cinema was part of his routine before matches.
While other players might have spent the evening thinking about the game, Moody used it as a chance to completely switch off.
Then the next day he would spend 80 minutes throwing himself at anything that moved.
6. He only drank half a can of Red Bull
There was another part of his matchday routine.
Half a can of Red Bull.
Not a full one.
Moody also liked sitting in the same spot in the Leicester changing room and would put his match shirt underneath his training top before the warm-up.
Given how much energy he had on the pitch, a full can might have been dangerous.
7. He's terrified of spiders
Moody wasn't exactly known for being scared of much.
He happily launched himself into tackles, rucks and aerial contests against some of the biggest players in world rugby.
Spiders were different.
Asked about his phobias by Rugby World, Moody admitted: “Spiders, definitely.”
Even Mad Dog had a weakness.
8. He helped create England's most famous rugby moment
Everyone remembers Jonny Wilkinson.
But rewind the footage of the closing stages of the 2003 Rugby World Cup final and Moody has his own part to play.
With the scores level in extra-time, England won a crucial lineout and Moody secured the ball.
Matt Dawson then made his famous break, England worked through another phase and Wilkinson dropped into the pocket.
The rest doesn't need explaining.
More than two decades later, England's 2003 squad remain rugby royalty, with several of the players taking very different paths since hanging up their boots.
9. His body took a serious battering
You don't play like Moody did without picking up a few injuries.
His career was littered with them.
There were shoulder problems, knee injuries, foot issues and numerous operations along the way.
He also played while living with ulcerative colitis, something he kept quiet about for years.
Despite all of that, Moody rarely changed the way he played.
It was all or nothing.
10. He cycled 500 miles following his MND diagnosis
Moody revealed in October 2025 that he had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
The news prompted an enormous response across rugby, with Moody speaking openly about his diagnosis and what came next.
Then, in 2026, he took on something remarkable.
Moody cycled around 500 miles from Newcastle to Twickenham to raise money for MND causes.
Former teammates and rugby legends joined him along the way, including Jonny Wilkinson.
The ride finished at Twickenham ahead of the PREM Rugby final.
His story is now being told in Lewis Moody vs MND, which follows Moody and his family as they deal with life following his diagnosis.
