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.
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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.
