Former England captain and World Cup winner Lewis Moody has revealed he has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
The 47-year-old, who retired from top-flight rugby union in 2012 having won 71 England caps, discovered he had the disease after some weakness in his shoulder.
Motor neurone disease (MND) is an uncommon and rapidly progressing neurological disease affecting the brain and nerves.
Life expectancy post-diagnosis is just 27 months, however an estimated 10 per cent of people living with the disease survive for 10 years or more.
There is no current cure.
Moody, a lion-hearted flanker who enjoyed considerable success with Leicester Tigers during his career, told BBC Sport he was not certain how to process the news.
"There's something about looking the future in the face and