Former Wallaby Nathan Charles, who defied cystic fibrosis to play international rugby, has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND).
The 37-year-old, who played four Test matches for Australia in 2014, publicly announced his diagnosis during an interview with Stan Sport.
During the interview, Charles, who retired from professional rugby in 2018, said he had been experiencing challenges for eight months.
“For a long period there I just didn’t know what it was,” Charles told interviewer and former Wallaby Justin Harrison.
“I’ve had that many tests, seen that many doctors and it just wasn’t getting any outcome. But my health just kept declining.
“And then recently, in the last few weeks, I was actually diagnosed with motor neurone disease, which has been extremely challenging and overwhelming. And, yeah, just at times quite cruel.”
Nathan Charles speaking on Stan Sport about his MND diagnosis. (Stan Sport)
In the interview with Stan Sport, Charles said his first thoughts after being told the MND diagnosis were of his family.
“I felt as though this would impact them greater than it would me. So, yeah, that was my first thought,” he said.
“I had a bad feeling going into that appointment and my fears were realised. It was the people around me that I felt worse for.”
MND has dominated sporting headlines in 2026, with the death of 2025 Australian of the Year Neale Daniher, and the diagnosis for Queensland State of Origin representative Jai Arrow.
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“My first question was, ‘How long have I got?’ Charles said.
“I know that every person with MND has a different journey, a different path and it affects everyone differently.
“I know there’s no cure and … your physicality, your body deteriorates and, yeah, your life cuts short.”
Charles was a hooker who played Super Rugby for the Western Force and Melbourne Rebels, and also had short stints in England and France.
His career in contact sport was remarkable considering Charles had been diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder which impairs the lungs and can also affect the pancreas, liver, kidneys, and intestine.
Prior to his first Test match in 2014, then Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie described Charles as someone who had “defied science”.
“If you look at the symptoms and classic outcomes of cystic fibrosis, it’s not a great scenario from a sporting point of view, but he seems to have defied science and defied logic,” McKenzie said at the time, as reported by The Sydney Morning Herald.
Speaking to Stan Sport, Charles said MND was affecting him.
“I’m already greatly impacted by it,” he said.
“I’m getting around with mobility aids. I struggle to do a lot of daily tasks, and putting on shoes and socks and stuff like that is a bit of a challenge.
“So it’s already impacted me, and I’m going to have my ups and downs.”
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