England boosted by return of Moody to captain’s role
ENGLAND captain Lewis Moody will reassume the leadership of his side for Saturday’s World Cup warm-up match against Wales at a sold-out Twickenham.
Mike Tindall and Nick Easter shared the captaincy through England’s victorious RBS 6 Nations campaign in the absence of Bath flanker Moody, who missed a large chunk of last season with knee ligament damage.
Manager Martin Johnson will, however, confirm Moody, 33, as the man lead his squad into September’s tournament in New Zealand.
Johnson will name the team to face Wales – the first of England’s three World Cup warm-up fixtures – tomorrow.
And Moody is chomping at the bit to make his England return in a squad that could also include Matt Stevens, who has been in the international exile since 2008 due to a doping ban, and the uncapped trio of Manu Tuilagi, Charlie Sharples and Mouritz Botha.
“To be out there and to get to play at Twickenham this weekend will be fantastic,” said Moody. “It’s the exciting part, you get a chance to play and go out on the pitch and do what you’re paid to do.”