Doddie Weir enters rugby’s hall of fame

LEGENDARY player Doddie Weir was inducted into Scottish Rugby’s hall of fame on Saturday to mark his 50th birthday.

Weir was capped 61 times for Scotland and was part of the victorious 1997 British Lions tour of South Africa.

Domestically, he won titles with both Melrose and Newcastle Falcons.

He set up the “My Name’5 Doddie Foundation” in 2017 after announcing he’d been diagnosed with motor neuron disease (MND).

So far, his foundation has raised nearly £6 million to fund research and improve the lives of people living with MND.

Weir was due to hold a party to celebrate his birthday on Saturday, but is shielding from the coronavirus.

He said: “I am truly honoured to be inducted into Scottish Rugby’s hall of fame.

“Thank you so much for honouring me with this award.

“And on my 50th birthday too – what a great present.”

John Jeffrey, who has recently been appointed as interim chairman of Scottish Rugby, added: “Doddie is known to rugby fans all over the world for his incredible efforts to raise awareness for MND and continuing to entertain people in the face of adversity.

“He was an excellent player to boot, winning 61 caps for Scotland and of course representing the British & Irish Lions in South Africa in 1997, where his personality shone through before injury ruled him out of a potential test cap.”

Read more articles on Scottish Field’s news pages.

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