Scottish legend Weir dies after six years with MND
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Former Scotland international Doddie Weir has died aged 52, six years after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
Weir, capped 61 times between 1990 and 2000, raised millions through his My Name’5 Doddie foundation following his 2016 diagnosis.
The lock was awarded an OBE in 2019 for services to rugby, MND research and the Borders community.
He is survived by his wife Kathy and sons Hamish, Angus and Ben.
“Doddie was an inspiring force of nature,” Kathy wrote.
“We are so lucky to have shared our lives with him and cherish all these memories: his love and warmth, his support and advice, his quick wit and terrible jokes. It is hard to put into words how much we will miss him in missing..
“MND took a lot from Doddie, but never his spirit and determination. He fought MND so bravely and even though his own battle is over, his fight continues through his foundation, until find a cure for all those with this devastating disease.
“Hamish, Angus, Ben and I would like to thank everyone for your support and for respecting our privacy at this difficult time.”
Born in Edinburgh, Weir played for Stewart’s Melville and Melrose, where he won six championships, before playing for Newcastle and the Border Reivers in the professional era.
His first game for Scotland was against Argentina in November 1990.
A lineout specialist, he scored four international tries in his career, including two against New Zealand in a quarter-final defeat at the 1995 World Cup.
Once described by commentator Bill McLaren as “in charge like a mad giraffe”, he was selected for the British and Irish Lions in 1997, but his tour of South Africa was prematurely ended by injury.
Earlier this month, he appeared at Murrayfield with the ball before Scotland kicked off against New Zealand, receiving a rapturous welcome from the capacity crowd.
It mirrored the emotional appearance on the field he made with his three sons against the same opponents in the fall of 2017.
Weir was awarded the Helen Rollason Award for BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2019.
“Our vision of a world free of MND remains at the heart of our strategy,” said My Name’5 Doddie Foundation Chief Executive Jill Douglas.
“He inspired us every day with his positivity and energy and was fully committed to the work of the Foundation that he launched with his close friends in November 2017.
“My Name’5 Doddie Foundation continues to shine a light on MND and the need to find meaningful treatments and one day, a cure for this devastating disease.”
