Lewis Moody gives Martin Johnson a boost
England captain Lewis Moody will play against the All Blacks on Saturday, 6 November providing he does not pick up an injury in his sides' Aviva Premiership match on Sunday 31 October.
Bath will visit Harlequins and Moody will play in the match to prove his fitness to England manager Martin Johnson, before he joins up with the England squad ahead of the New Zealand Test.
Moody picked up an eye injury in a collision with Gloucester full-back Charlie Sharples in an Aviva Premier League match on 1 October. Doctors have warned Moody that the injury will never completely heal.
“The eye will probably never be perfect anymore. I bruised the retina and part of the macula and that has left a slight scar just across the back which means part of your vision is distorted," said Moody.
"It could get better and hopefully over time it will do. Your brain learns to ignore it apparently. It might take my brain slightly longer than most,” added the England captain.
After Bath’s club match Moody will turn his attention to the All Blacks Test and the flanker agreed that the eye injury was not the ideal way to prepare for an encounter with the best side in the world.
"It is not ideal to be playing six days before the All Blacks game, but it makes no difference to me. I really wanted to play. If I was going to be picked for the All Blacks game I didn't want to go in having not played a game," said Moody.
The England international has played a vital role in the national team’s revival since he was appointed as captain during the summer tour of Australia.
The forward said that he was looking forward to returning after the injury and said, "I'm just hugely relieved to be back. I just want to get back playing, as any sportsman does.”
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