Lewis Moody is convinced England can still win the Six Nations despite an horrendous injury list which now includes Christian Wade.
The London Wasps wing will be out for six months after damaging ligaments in his foot, giving England head coach Stuart Lancaster another headache with Marland Yarde, Ben Foden, Ugo Monye, Tom Croft, Alex Corbisiero, Joel Tomkins, Manu Tuilagi and Geoff Parling also unavailable.
Former England captain Moody suffered injuries throughout his 71‑cap career due to his seemingly reckless style of play and was eventually forced to retire with a shoulder problem.
While accepting the loss of key players is a setback, Moody believes England can still lift the Six Nations title thanks to their strength in depth and form during the autumn Test series when they defeated Australia and Argentina before losing 30-22 to New Zealand.
The World Cup winner: “Yes, we can win the Six Nations. It will be a tough time for the England management but we are still in a good place because we still have lots of options. If there is any negativity over our chances in the championship then that’s a very narrow view because a few injuries does not derail your squad.
“There were key players missing from the autumn and it meant other guys got a start and experienced playing against the All Blacks. Being exposed to that pressure means they know the All Blacks fall down when you tackle them hard.
“Stuart’s problems are no different to any other coach in any other decade but what we do have in the professional game is the best medical support and the ability to visit the top specialists around the world.”
Moody sees the 2015 World Cup in this country as a crucial period for the growth of the sport and is doing his best to ensure positive headlines.
He is helping publicise the expansion of the award-winning HITZ programme delivered by Premiership Rugby Clubs to support disenfranchised young people aged 11 to 19.
Moody said: ”I don’t believe there is a better vessel than rugby to help these young people change their lives.”
Lewis Moody was talking on behalf of Land Rover, an official partner of HITZ.
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