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‘There are good guys, and then there is Lewis Moody’ – The Guardian

What does it take to be a good man, leader, friend, husband, dad? How do you meet adversity head on, and learn from it over and over again? And what does it mean to choose hope, love and laughter when the worst happens?

This is a book for anyone who has suffered a setback, and who needs to find their way through and persevere. A book for those who want to relive glory days of English rugby, and those triumphs, disasters … and hilarious post-match antics. And a book for sports fans, rugby lovers, those caring for others, and anyone dealing with life-changing news.

Lewis Moody has thrived in leadership roles through his career, from captaining the English rugby team to his life beyond sport as a coach, mentor and father of sons. Through challenges, trial and error, and with plenty of mistakes along the way, he has learnt how to make good decisions, no matter which brick wall he arrives at. In this must-have new book, he explains how his mindset combines assertiveness, strength and competition when it’s needed, but also leans into compassion and vulnerability.

Amidst the landscape of angry voices coming from every kind of media, all trying to shout the loudest, Lewis’s quiet clarity and courage cut through. Character, responsibility, integrity, accountability, purpose, humility and kindness. A man of action and not just words.

Across its pages, Lewis distils the different roles he’s played through his life and the experiences that have shaped him not only into a fearless and ferocious flanker who always led with his heart, but also into the man others have described as ‘a daily inspiration.’ What does it mean to be a ‘good guy’ in the 21st century? What are the decisions and steps and missteps that you need to make to build that character? Is it possible to be one of the lads, but also always do the right thing? How can you stand for these values proudly and publicly while maintaining personal humility and a sense of your own fallibility?

Taking us through the tests and the deliberations which he made through his upbringing, time in youth and club rugby, his 71 caps for England, fatherhood, retirement and working as a mentor, Lewis lays bare all the most important signposts along his journey. With huge career highs and lows, mental and physical health battles, including his most recent diagnosis with MND and the day-to-day challenges of raising a family and maintaining a nearly 30-year relationship with his wife Annie, these are the stories which made a great man’s mettle.