Doddie Weir makes huge donation to support other MND sufferers during pandemic - Ruck

Doddie Weir makes huge donation to support other MND sufferers during pandemic

Doddie Weir has donated £70,000 to support the efforts of the Motor Neurone Disease Association during the current coronavirus pandemic.

Doddie said: “Having MND puts people in the high risk category of coronavirus because our respiratory systems are already compromised.

“That means right now is a very worrying time for us.

“I am determined to do as much as I can to help alleviate some of those concerns.

“The money will be used by the MND Association in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and by MND Scotland to shore up the support they are offering people with MND at this time.”


LIST | 8 GREAT DODDIE WEIR MOMENTS: AN ABSOLUTE LEGEND

Doddie Weir was a giant in the world of Scottish rugby, in more ways than one.

Not only was Doddie a hugely key player to the Scottish national side in the 1990s but the 6’6 lock towered above opponents on a regular basis with commentator Bill McLaren describing Weir “On the charge like a mad giraffe.”

The 49-year-old was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) in 2016.

The following year, he launched his charity, the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, which seeks to aid research into the disease and improve the lives of those with MND.

The former Melrose and Newcastle Falcons lock won 61 caps for Scotland.

Here are eight of our favourite Doddie moments from down the years:

1. Hard as nails

We will start off by heading back to 1999. The Scotland lock, was representing the Barbarians against Leicester Tigers at Twickenham, took a huge punch to the chin from rugby hard man Martin Johnson.

Of course, he didn’t go down!

2.  His only Championship try

Weir scored just once in the Five Nations – this try against Ireland in the course of a powerful Scotland victory in Edinburgh in 1997 – and he beat four would-be Irish tacklers in doing so!

3. Premiership Champion

He moved to England in 1995 to join the Newcastle Falcons and was part of the Premiership winning side of 1997–98. A special season still spoken about by Falcons fans on a very regular basis.

4. Honours

He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2019 New Year Honours for services to rugby, to motor neurone disease research and to the community in the Scottish Borders


5. First class delivery

In 2017, Scotland welcomed back the legend to the pitch today to deliver the match ball for Scotland v New Zealand.

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