KEY POINTS:
The man they call Mad Dog knows he's going to have to bare his fangs if England are going to beat Australia in the first quarter-final in Marseille.
Moody, who finally wins his 50th test cap after many injury-plagued seasons, plays with a rabid intensity that is pure
hell for his mother but inspiring for his teammates.
"It's nice to have a mad dog player in your side, certainly," England coach Brian Ashton said, forever lumbering him with the moniker. "Lewis is noted for his intensity, his enthusiasm and his toughness. He'll certainly need those in abundance on the weekend."
He's noted also for his shock of blond hair, an eye-catching feature that seems to act as a moving target for opponents.
He got his first start of the World Cup against Tonga last weekend and marked it by being smashed by Nili Latu, taking another blow to his head and breaking his nose.
No wonder he says his mother still hates watching him play.
His teammates love it though, if sometimes wondering about his sanity. He recalled a conversation he had with former Leicester teammate Martin Johnson. The gist of it was that "Johnno" used to just shake his head and laugh as Moody would go haring after kickoffs, a ruck would form, three opposition players would unfurl themselves before Moody, the lone Leicester player, would drag himself off the turf.
"I think I'm just fully committed and it's purely because when you are playing with your friends and colleagues you do everything physically possible to win, and everything physically possible to get the ball."
It comes at an often brutal cost. Until last week Moody hadn't started a test in a year. Moody went on as a replacement in the Sydney decider four years ago, but missed all but three tests the following season with a stress fracture in his foot. After regaining his regular place in 2005 a shoulder operation sidelined him for this year's Six Nations.
"It seems like it's a long time coming considering the number of injuries I've had," he said of his 50th cap.
"I enjoy playing the game. I've waited for this opportunity for a long while. The World Cup is the pinnacle of any player's career. It's a pleasure to be out there this weekend against Australia, the old enemy.
"Australia will be as physical and as challenging as Tonga were. Australia play a clever game of rugby, it's not just about brawn. It's a complete, packaged game and they challenge you in every way. The Australian forwards are a formidable force and in the last two years they've made strong improvements."
One constant for Australia, however, has been George Smith. The battle between him and Moody will be one of the game's highlights.
"I remember a lot of my games against George. I've won some of them and I've lost some of them but they were all tough encounters. [He] is one of the best number sevens in the world. He's up there with Richie McCaw."
