No room for sentiment for Lewis Moody

He will lead England in their final warm-up matches against Wales, this Saturday and August 13, and Ireland on August 27, before jetting to New Zealand for September's World Cup.

Moody has a natural presence and authority. When he walks into the bar at Spring Studios in Kentish Town for our interview, the staff and patrons twist their necks to stare at the commanding 6ft 3ins Viking-like figure. So it's a surprise to hear that he initially struggled with the captaincy.

"I was trying too hard to do everything like sorting out meetings and meals but the one thing Johnno said to me was: 'Just be yourself'. So I went back to just leading through the way I play and how I behave," he tells me. "I was a senior player anyway so I was very used to giving my opinion and setting an example and I'm a lot more comfortable now."

Moody's willingness to bleed for club and country has resulted in an injury-blighted career. In October 2010, he damaged his retina in Bath's Premiership match against Gloucester, leaving him with a permanent blurred spot on his left eye, and the knee ligament injury he suffered in Bath's Heineken Cup tie with Aironi in January forced him out of England's successful 2011 Six Nations campaign.

"It has been frustrating but I'm fully fit now and loving our World Cup training camp," he adds. "The training has been immense. We're all working hard. World Cup camps are always intense environments with places to fight for and that adds spice to these games against Wales and Ireland.

"Even the wrestling we do has been intense. It's good training for fighting for the ball and taking people down which is very me, isn't it? We've had some vigorous sessions."

Moody leads a young, dynamic England team electrified by the audacious talents of Chris Ashton, Ben Youngs and Ben Foden. If victories over Australia, in Sydney and at Twickenham in 2010, and the 2011 Six Nations triumph demonstrated the team's potential, autumn defeats by New Zealand and South Africa and a 24-8 loss against Ireland in March proved there is work to be done.

"This team feel different to others," says Moody. "We've got experienced guys like Jonny Wilkinson and Mike Tindall who keep on top of things but also young guys like Ashy and Ben Foden playing exciting rugby. I wish I was 25 again. These guys can play some awesome rugby.

"It all started with that win in Sydney [last summer]. We're not quite where we want to be but we're learning. The defeats by South Africa and Ireland are as important as the wins, as they kept us hungry to improve. Against Wales and Ireland we want to show continuity and better decision-making."

What is the unique personality of this England team? "Good question," he adds, pausing for thought. "We're a team that are hungry for success and prepared to play a style of rugby that gives us those victories but we've moved on from when England were considered that boring, stick-it-up-your-jumper side that just kicked the ball. Now we'll play rugby and run it from anywhere. That was to our detriment against South Africa and Ireland, so we need to find that happy medium. But this team has a very exciting personality."

Given his infectious enthusiasm, it's hard to believe that Moody considered retiring in 2008. "I'd suffered a torn Achilles, a ruptured Achilles which kept me out for six months and then a hip micro-fracture which kept me out for nine months," he reveals. "I came back into the England set-up and then just before the 2009 Six Nations I broke my ankle. I'd just had enough. My wife [Annie] shook me out of it and a day later I was throwing myself back into rehab."

What is the source of his lauded never-say-die spirit? "I'm inspired by how people deal with adversity, like soldiers in war zones who know that every step could be their last," he says. "The most inspirational story I've heard was of a 65-year-old father whose son's ambition was to do an Ironman race. The son unfortunately became wheelchair-bound. So his father decided to take him on his dream triathlon. He trained really hard. In the swim, he towed his son with a line; he then cycled with him in a carriage and ran with him in a modified wheelchair. That desire to achieve something in adverse situations is inspirational. When I step onto the pitch, how can I not give it my all?"

England fly to New Zealand on August 29 to prepare for their first Group B match against Argentina at Otago Stadium, Dunedin, on September 10. They then face Georgia and Romania before battling Scotland at Eden Park, Auckland, on October 1. Despite the boardroom chaos at the RFU, Moody is unfazed: "We're just completely focused on this World Cup."

Moody has faced the rugby-obsessed New Zealand public before on the British and Irish Lions tour of 2005. "They live and breathe rugby over there," he admits. "Whether you're in the dentist or the deli, they will talk rugby. You'll see All Black flags everywhere and they'll be onto you as soon as you land." The England captain doesn't expect any easy games. "New Zealand will be favourites, South Africa, Australia and France will be up there, Argentina finished third at the last World Cup and Wales, Ireland and Scotland will be up for it," he says. "But you can't underestimate Tonga, Fiji beat Wales and Samoa have come on. You don't put 40 points past smaller teams like you did 15 years ago."

Nor does he accept the claims of All Blacks coach Graham Henry that his team will be "overdone" after their Tri-Nations series on the eve of the World Cup. "If anything, it could be an advantage to them if we all thought that," he adds. "They won't be overcooked. The extra time together gives them continuity."

When Moody leads his troops out against Argentina, he will be in a confident but cautious mood. "In 2003 we were favourites so to win was a huge relief almost," he says. "In 2007 we were underdogs but still made it to the final. This year we're somewhere in the middle but we have the potential to beat anybody. I'm genuinely excited about this group of players. To win the World Cup is the dream but I understand how difficult that is. Nevertheless, I play rugby to win trophies. I don't play for second best."

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