Rugby League: The moment Mose Masoe knew his life had changed

Hull KR's Mose Masoe. Photo /Getty

Mose Masoe has revealed he hopes to walk again during his first interview since suffering a horror spinal injury in an English league match.

For now doctors don't have much news, good or bad, for the Wellington-raised Masoe, aged 30.

But the former Roosters and Panthers NRL forward has told the Sydney Morning Herald he is determined to "be there" for his children.

Masoe will be allowed to sit up in his hospital bed this week, for the first time since the accident six weeks ago.

The 125kg Masoe, who played seven tests for Samoa, told the SMH his future is unknown.

"It's a hard thing with spinals…someone can have the exact same injury as me, same part of my neck, but have totally different side effects," he said.

Masoe was hurt while making a regulation tackle playing for Hull KR against Wakefield in a pre-season game.

Initially believing he had knocked himself out, Masoe says: "I opened my eyes and my arms were flapping around.

"I couldn't feel my legs. My arms were in shock, spasming. I thought, 'This is bad'."

After surgery, he was able to move his wright wrist a little, and had some left hand movement the following day.

"Slowly over time it has come back," he said.

"That's massive, because a lot of guys don't have any movement for months. I've spoken to guys who are past patients. Some guys had the accident 30 years ago and they didn't get any movement for six months."

He revealed that the lowest point came when his partner Carissa pinched his leg and stomach as hard as she could and he didn't feel anything.

"That was when, for the next five minutes, I had a bit of a moment…but then I realised it could've been worse …" he told the SMH's chief sports writer Andrew Webster, who wrote that the 30-year-old's "positivity" shines through.

Masoe even claims that this is his second-worst injury, after a knee issue which almost forced him to retire while at the Dragons.

He viewed replays of the tackle and doctors say it was the "perfect" way for the injury to occur, because he hyperextended.

Supporters have included elderly women bringing in little cheques and a man with Parkinson's Disease walking two miles to present him with a book.

"It's incredible, these are complete strangers…I can't believe it," he said.

Immediately after the accident, Masoe told Hull KR coach Tony Smith he wanted to be able to hug his children again.

He has pictures on the walls next to his bed at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield, including those of his three children along with an ultra sound of the couple's baby which is due in July.

"I want to walk again - there's milestones that are coming up and I want to be there for them," he said.