Former England rugby captain Lewis Moody and the family of the late Doddie Weir will begin a 500-mile charity cycle challenge from Newcastle on June 14, 2026, to raise funds for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) research.
The seven-day event, named the Lewis Moody XV Ride, will feature numerous rugby stars traveling through multiple English towns before arriving at Twickenham ahead of the domestic league final on Saturday, June 20.
Moody disclosed his own MND diagnosis last year and expressed that having Weir's wife, Kathy, and oldest son, Hamish, join his family on the journey represents a powerful continuation of the fight against the illness.
"Having Kathy and Hamish with us feels incredibly poignant and powerful," said Moody.
The late Scottish international Doddie Weir established the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation in 2017 following his own diagnosis and raised millions before his death in 2022.
"Doddie did so much to change the conversation around MND, and in many ways this ride feels like continuing something he started," said Moody.
The route specifically targets communities and clubs central to Moody's career, including a stop at Oakham School where he boarded as a teenager.
"There's a real sense of carrying the baton forward. Doddie inspired people because he faced this disease head on with unbelievable courage, humour and determination.
I think all of us involved in the ride feel a responsibility to keep pushing that fight forward," said Moody.
Prominent former players such as Martin Johnson, Jonny Wilkinson, and Jason Robinson will join separate stages of the trek, while Kenny Logan and Geordan Murphy commit to the full distance.
"I couldn't be doing this without my own family too. Annie, Dylan and Ethan have been so incredibly strong for me.
This ride is about raising money, of course, but it's also about showing the MND community that we're still fighting, still driving awareness and still refusing to accept that this disease cannot be beaten," said Moody.
The charity ride serves as a major fundraising vehicle for the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, which has allocated more than £23.5 million to medical research since its inception.
"It's not a set of circumstances I ever imagined returning to Oakham under, but it feels incredibly important to me that the ride passes through places and communities that shaped my life.
Oakham played a huge part in who I became, not just as a rugby player but as a person.
To go back there now, surrounded by old team-mates, teachers, friends and the next generation coming through, will be hugely emotional," said Moody.
Organizers confirmed that additional World Cup winners and international players, including Ben Kay and Danny Care, will participate to support families affected by the disease globally.
"When you get diagnosed with something like MND, you very quickly realise how important people are," said Moody.
Corporate sponsors such as Gallagher Insurance and Castore are backing the multi-city logistics for the cycling group.
"This ride is about mates coming together, communities coming together, and hopefully showing people living with MND that they are not alone," said Moody.
The event aims to build national momentum by uniting rival clubs through a shared charitable objective.
"To have former team-mates and friends riding alongside me means more than I can put into words.
We've shared huge moments together in rugby but this feels bigger than sport," said Moody.
Supporters are encouraged to engage with the riders along the route or donate directly to the foundation online.
"This disease affects families everywhere and we need people to rally behind the MND community in the same way rugby people always rally behind each other," said Moody.
The fundraising campaign extends beyond the cycling peloton into grassroots fan initiatives across the country.
"If people can donate, come out and support us along the route, or simply help spread the word, it genuinely makes a difference.
We want this to engage people nationally or even globally, driven by the rugby community but also reaching far beyond," said Moody.
Foundation leadership highlighted that the campaign demonstrates the unique leadership and resilience found within the broader rugby family.
"Lewis has already inspired so many people through the way he has approached his diagnosis.
This challenge is another example of that courage and leadership," said Paul Thompson, Director of Fundraising at My Name'5 Doddie Foundation.
The funds generated from the event will directly accelerate clinical trials to find viable medical treatments.
"This is about much more than rugby. It's about friendship, family, resilience and communities coming together behind a common cause.
Every mile ridden and every pound raised will help us continue accelerating research towards effective treatments and, ultimately, a cure for MND," said Thompson.
Additional Fan-Led Challenges
In a parallel effort, Leicester Tigers supporter Will Begy started a 232-kilometer challenge on June 1, running a marathon every day for five consecutive days before finishing with a half-marathon.
Begy, an Oakham native, drew direct inspiration from Moody's recent medical diagnosis to raise funds for the same foundation ahead of the fixture against Bath Rugby.
Simultaneously, four additional rugby fans named Matt Dangerfield, Rafer Joseph, Huw Forrest, and Rich Baker initiated a non-stop, 40-hour walk between Mattioli Woods Welford Road and The Rec to demonstrate solidarity across rival clubs.
