Former England rugby captain Lewis Moody is undertaking a 500-mile, seven-day cycling challenge in support of the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, which will end at Twickenham on Saturday.
The ride, which has so far raised more than £350,000 included an emotional stop at Stroud Rugby Club on Thursday, June 18.
Former England stars Jason Robinson and Martin Johnson, plus former Scotland star Kenny Logon, were all seen in Stroud during the day’s ride – from Worcester to Bath.
Mr Moody was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in September last year.
Lewis Moody at The Lewis Moody XV cycle challenge fundraising for My Name’5 Doddie Foundation in support of a world free of MND, at Stroud Rugby in Gloucestershire on Thursday, June 18 (Image: Paul Nicholls photography)
He said: “You’re carrying another burden that you wouldn’t otherwise be carrying, and that’s to say the burden is a privileged burden.
“I’m now in this MND space and have the platform that allows me to grab hold of the baton that the boys have already moved on such a long way.
“I’m talking about Doddie, Rob and Kev– my role is to just support the cause and try to amplify the noise in this space.
“If we can do that, and if this ride can do that, then that’s a positive outcome for me.”
Starting in Newcastle, the ride passed through each of Mr Moody’s former clubs before ending at Twickenham Stadium, where he will deliver the match ball before the Gallagher Prem Cup final.
Other stops included Bracknell RFC, Oakham School, Leicester Tigers, and Bath Rugby.
Along the way he has been joined on the ride by numerous rugby greats including Martin Johnson, Martin Corry, Kenny Logan, Geordan Murphy, Louis Deacon, and Joe Worsley.
The ride aimed to raise funds and awareness for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, named after Scottish rugby legend Doddie Weir, who died from MND in 2022.
The foundation has raised more than £23.5million for MND research.
Moody described the journey as an “emotional tidal wave.