Moody will miss the rest of the season

Lewis Moody will be sidelined for 16 weeks with an Achilles injury, ending his season and ruling him out of England's summer tour to New Zealand.

Moody suffered the injury in February's Six Nations defeat by Wales.

The Leicester flanker said: "I will miss England's tour, and also the Tigers are in the EDF final and will probably be in the League final too.

"Every game you miss is a game you can never get back. I am absolutely devastated," he added.

Moody had hoped to be back for last Saturday's EDF Energy Cup semi-final against Wasps but had to pull out two days before the game.

And after seeing a specialist in Sweden, Moody revealed: "I've had my Achilles scraped, which is basically where all the loose scar tissue is cleared out.

"I've got a 50% rupture of the tendon."

A shoulder injury, which also required surgery, sidelined Moody from last year's Six Nations.

He went on to play a key role in England's 2007 Rugby World Cup campaign, which saw them lose to South Africa in the final.