Friday, 30 October 2020
Other
On the eve of the Scotland v Wales match tomorrow, Doddie Weir OBE has been inducted into Scottish Rugby's Hall of Fame.
Doddie received the sculpted Hall of Fame cap from his fellow inductee, Chris Paterson, at Doddie's farm near Lauder this week.
Normally such awards are presented at glittering gala dinners before the acclaim of hundreds.
Somehow, given Doddie’s utterly selfless dedication, it seemed appropriate in this Covid world, that the award was presented in a well-ventilated barn and the only audience was cattle that his wife Kathy was getting ready to go to market!
The award has now taken pride of place alongside Doddie's World Rugby Award for Character, and his Helen Rollason award from last year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
“This means so much to me,” Doddie said. “And it’s great that there are four Melrose men in the Hall of Fame and only two from Gala!”
The banter flowed between Weir and Paterson, but Scotland’s all-time points record holder was quick to reiterate Doddie’s impeccable credentials as a member of the Hall of Fame.
Paterson said: “The Hall of Fame celebrates those who have been Scottish Rugby’s ultimate ambassadors.
“The first point to remember is that Doddie was a great rugby player, winning 61 Scotland caps and a Lion on the successful 1997 South Africa tour, despite it being blighted for him personally through injury. He also won league championships with Melrose and Newcastle.
“Since Doddie was diagnosed with MND four years ago, the manner in which he has fought this awful condition has been both poignant and inspirational for both the rugby and wider community.
“The fundraising he has engineered through My Name’5 Doddie Foundation has raised millions, given impetus to attempts to find a cure for MND and hope, that elusive hope, to people living with MND.
“Inspiringly, he is always the first to say thank you to those who have helped, whether in a neighbourhood car boot sale or a big posh do.”
Doddie is the 27th member of Scottish Rugby’s Hall of Fame, which was established in 2010 and set up to celebrate the stellar contribution made by Scots to the global game over the years.
Members of the Hall of Fame are: David Bedell Sivright; Phil Macpherson; Ned Haig; Ken Scotland; Sandy Carmichael MBE; Andy Irvine MBE; Finlay Calder OBE; Bill McLaren CBE; Sir Ian McGeechan; Jim Telfer; Gordon Brown; Mark Morrison; Ian Smith; Hugh McLeod OBE; Ian McLauchlan OBE; Jim Renwick; David Leslie; Gary Armstrong OBE; Chris Paterson MBE; Norman Mair; John Rutherford; Douglas Elliot; Donna Kennedy; Mark Robertson; James Robson MBE; Doddie Weir OBE
Tomorrow, the Doddie Weir Cup, especially commissioned by Scottish Rugby and the Welsh Rugby Union, and first contested between the two countries in 2018, will be up for grabs at the Parc Y Scarlets in Llanelli.
And a final word from Doddie? “Good luck to all for this weekend. It would be great to have the Doddie Cup on my table.”
Photos courtesy of Scottish Rugby/SNS images
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