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Lewis Moody has backed rugby to rekindle the success enjoyed by England’s sports lovers suffering in the doldrums after cricketing slaughter in Australia and a weary 48-year wait for further soccer success in the FIFA World Cup, writes Stan Szecowka.
During a visit to Bahrain at the weekend to inspire tomorrow’s sporting stars, the retired rugby ace was confident England head coach Stuart Lancaster will bring glory to the country.
Moody, who was part of the England rugby side that lifted the World Cup in 2003, believes England’s cricket team have a long road back following the Ashes debacle and a decade of being at the top of their game, England’s soccer stars have little chance of success in Brazil whilst ‘club comes before country’ … so the ones to watch are England’s rising stars of rugby.
“Things are looking good. England have a long game plan in operation and it is coming together,” Moody told GulfWeekly.
To prove the point, Lancaster led his side to a stunning 20-0 victory in a tough test against Scotland in Saturday’s Calcutta Cup match at Murrayfield, only the second time in a decade England have won in Edinburgh.
Tries from Luther Burrell and Mike Brown – a second for both in two championship matches – were the reward for an assured performance. Owen Farrell could afford to miss three kickable penalties and his side fail to convert several other alluring opportunities as their forwards bossed the contest.
Lancaster will be delighted with the display of his emerging team, the blend of power up front and dash out wide boding well for the sterner tests that lie ahead, said the BBC. His England side can look forward with relish to the visit of unbeaten Ireland in a fortnight’s time.
Moody agreed and is convinced Lancaster is the man to take the team forward although he believes it may still be too early to get carried away.
“This year is too soon, in my opinion. Maybe even the 2015 World Cup will be too early. But come 2015-16 they will be the side to be reckoned with.
“But what is success? It is achieving silverware really. That is what Stuart is aiming for. It is all about having a long-term plan and seeing it through.”
Moody, now 36, who played most recently for Bath, may have retired from the game but showed he had lost no desire or enthusiasm for the game with a couple of cameo performances and crunching tackles with the teams taking part in the festival of rugby at Bahrain Rugby Football Club.
He said he couldn’t resist ‘a run out’ before turning his attention to signing autographs, having his photograph taken with fans and inspiring the next generation of young players.
“I loved rugby as a youngster and still do to this day,” he explained. “It’s a game you can play with your mates and learn to be a part of a team – you soon develop trust, respect and learn how to look after one another.
“These are great qualities to develop and something you can use in the years to come. I still do!”
Moody was known for the enthusiasm with which he played the game, his willingness to chase down opponents and his ability to compete for possession at restarts earned him the nickname Mad Dog from teammates and supporters.
Moody married Annie, an interior designer, in June 2006, and they now have two children, Dylan, six, and Ethan, three, who are already getting to grips with the game playing tag rugby.
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. In 2012 he highlighted his battle with ulcerative colitis and the impact this had on his training.
He remains an impressive ambassador of the sport and following on from the visit of his former international colleague Jason Robinson, made his mark on Bahrain sports lovers of all ages, who will be banking on more of the same from sponsor, HSBC.
