Sport

England's Moody in race against time to face All Blacks

RUGBY : ENGLAND CAPTAIN Lewis Moody faces a race against time to be fit for the autumn Test opener against New Zealand at Twickenham…

Thu Oct 07 2010 - 01:00

RUGBY: ENGLAND CAPTAIN Lewis Moody faces a race against time to be fit for the autumn Test opener against New Zealand at Twickenham.

Moody’s club Bath say he is expected to be out of action for up to four weeks after suffering bruising to his eye during last Friday’s English Premiership home defeat against Gloucester at the Recreation Ground.

England face the All Blacks on November 6th, when former Leicester flanker Moody would be an integral part of England head coach Martin Johnson’s plans.

The injury does not appear to be as serious as was first feared.

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Moody (32) was hurt following a collision with Gloucester fullback Charlie Sharples early in the second half and required several minutes of treatment on the pitch before going off.

If he is sidelined for a month, then Moody will miss Bath’s opening two Heineken Cup games against Biarritz and Italian side Aironi, plus a Premiership appointment with Leicester at Welford Road.

Moody joined Bath from Leicester earlier this year and has made just five league appearances for his new club.

Bath head coach Steve Meehan said: “Lewis took a serious knock at the weekend, which is obviously very tough on him.

“He was just getting used to the Bath style of play, and it’s equally frustrating for the rest of us to lose him at this stage in the season.

“We will of course make sure he receives the best possible attention to get him back on the field as, and when, he’s ready.”

Moody was picked by England coach Martin Johnson to replace Steve Borthwick as captain for the summer tour of Australia after the Saracens lock suffered a knee injury.

Moody then became the second captain, after Martin Johnson in 2003, to lead England to a Test match victory over the Wallabies on Australian soil.

South Africa’s Lions franchise has become the first rugby club in the country to have a black owner after a landmark deal was signed with entrepreneur Robert Gumede.

The IT mogul and Guma Group executive chairman has bought a 49.9 per cent stake in the Johannesburg-based union, backed by an undertaking to improve on their recent fortunes of the past few years.