Fans Launch Petition to Rename Murrayfield Stand After Doddie Weir
Rugby NewsSunday, 16 February 2025 at 13:16
Quinnell was a powerful number 8 who earned 52 caps for Wales and toured twice with the British & Irish Lions.
There has never been anyone quite like Doddie Weir. A giant of the game and a rugby icon, the late great Scotland international always lived life to the full.
The XV you see below is made up of players Doddie Weir singled out for praise in his autobiography. If you love rugby, then this is a simple, honest, and amusing book of Doddie Weir's career, which spanned both the amateur and professional game.
Following his death in November 2022, a campaign was launched to rename a stand at Murrayfield after Doddie Weir, aiming to collect over 67,000 signatures — one for each seat in the home of Scottish Rugby.
Weir, diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in 2016, raised millions through his My Name'5 Doddie foundation. In recognition of his efforts to improve the lives of those with MND, the petition has already attracted more than 25,000 signatures.
In 2019, Weir was awarded an OBE for his services to rugby, MND research, and the Borders community. The stand renaming proposal, "Murrayfield North (for) Doddie" — or MND for short — has been met with much support.
Weir’s legacy continues through this petition and the ongoing efforts to keep him in the thoughts of the rugby community.
Join the cause and sign the petition here: Change.org Petition.
Doddie Weir Names His Dream Team:
BACK-THREE
"Consistently outstanding for both Scotland and the Lions. Helped me a lot when the game turned professional."
Bio: A legendary fullback, Hastings earned 61 caps for Scotland and captained the British & Irish Lions on their 1993 tour to New Zealand.
Bio: A legendary fullback, Hastings earned 61 caps for Scotland and captained the British & Irish Lions on their 1993 tour to New Zealand.
Tony Stanger (Scotland):
"Probably Scotland's greatest ever finisher. He was key as we won the 1990 Grand Slam."
Bio: Stanger is Scotland's joint-top try scorer with 24 tries, remembered most for his iconic try against England that secured the 1990 Grand Slam.
"Probably Scotland's greatest ever finisher. He was key as we won the 1990 Grand Slam."
Bio: Stanger is Scotland's joint-top try scorer with 24 tries, remembered most for his iconic try against England that secured the 1990 Grand Slam.
Jonah Lomu (New Zealand):
"He took the 1995 World Cup by storm. There were plenty of players who were six foot five and nearly nineteen stone, but none I knew who could run the 100m sprint in 11 seconds."
Bio: Lomu revolutionized wing play with his power and pace, scoring 37 tries in 63 tests and becoming rugby's first global superstar.
"He took the 1995 World Cup by storm. There were plenty of players who were six foot five and nearly nineteen stone, but none I knew who could run the 100m sprint in 11 seconds."
Bio: Lomu revolutionized wing play with his power and pace, scoring 37 tries in 63 tests and becoming rugby's first global superstar.
CENTRE
Alan Tait (Scotland):
"He seemed to have the uncanny ability to always be in the right place at the right time. Then you realised that was because he was pushing opponents into areas where they had no space to work. He was also the tightest man in the world."
Bio: A dual-code rugby star, Tait excelled in both rugby league and union, winning 27 caps for Scotland and playing for the Lions in 1997.
"He seemed to have the uncanny ability to always be in the right place at the right time. Then you realised that was because he was pushing opponents into areas where they had no space to work. He was also the tightest man in the world."
Bio: A dual-code rugby star, Tait excelled in both rugby league and union, winning 27 caps for Scotland and playing for the Lions in 1997.
Tana Umaga (New Zealand):
"Scored twice against us. Like with Lomu, we really struggled to contain him."
Bio: Umaga was a formidable All Black centre and captain, earning 74 caps and known for his powerful running and defensive leadership.
"Scored twice against us. Like with Lomu, we really struggled to contain him."
Bio: Umaga was a formidable All Black centre and captain, earning 74 caps and known for his powerful running and defensive leadership.
HALFBACKS
Jonny Wilkinson (England/Lions):
"He must have only been 17 or thereabouts when I met him. Thinking wise, and in terms of skill was on another level. Jonny's dedication and diligence put many - me included - to shame."
Bio: One of the greatest fly-halves of all time, Wilkinson won 91 England caps and famously kicked the drop goal that secured the 2003 World Cup.
"He must have only been 17 or thereabouts when I met him. Thinking wise, and in terms of skill was on another level. Jonny's dedication and diligence put many - me included - to shame."
Bio: One of the greatest fly-halves of all time, Wilkinson won 91 England caps and famously kicked the drop goal that secured the 2003 World Cup.
Joost van der Westhuizen (South Africa):
"From a rival who almost single-handedly ended my career as an international number 8, to a standard-bearer in the fight against Motor Neurone Disease, and, eventually, a victim of this cruel disease. He was unstoppable on his day."
Bio: A dynamic scrum-half, van der Westhuizen earned 89 caps for South Africa, winning the 1995 World Cup and later raising awareness for MND.
"From a rival who almost single-handedly ended my career as an international number 8, to a standard-bearer in the fight against Motor Neurone Disease, and, eventually, a victim of this cruel disease. He was unstoppable on his day."
Bio: A dynamic scrum-half, van der Westhuizen earned 89 caps for South Africa, winning the 1995 World Cup and later raising awareness for MND.
FRONT-ROW
George Graham (Scotland):
"Aggressive beyond belief, like a bulldog whose lost its bone then swallowed a Wasps trying to find it. He'd have been a nightmare to play against."
Bio: A powerful prop, Graham played 25 times for Scotland and was renowned for his scrummaging prowess and fierce competitiveness.
"Aggressive beyond belief, like a bulldog whose lost its bone then swallowed a Wasps trying to find it. He'd have been a nightmare to play against."
Bio: A powerful prop, Graham played 25 times for Scotland and was renowned for his scrummaging prowess and fierce competitiveness.
Keith Wood (Ireland):
"Phenomenal as a teammate and a super tourer. As a person, for me, he epitomized the whole Lions ethos."
Bio: A dynamic hooker, Wood earned 58 caps for Ireland and was the inaugural winner of the World Rugby Player of the Year award in 2001.
"Phenomenal as a teammate and a super tourer. As a person, for me, he epitomized the whole Lions ethos."
Bio: A dynamic hooker, Wood earned 58 caps for Ireland and was the inaugural winner of the World Rugby Player of the Year award in 2001.
Jason Leonard (England/Lions):
"He was always an absolute rock on the corner of the scrum. He did all the work in the scrum and I could just have a breather."
Bio: Leonard is England's most-capped forward with 114 appearances and was a key figure in their 2003 World Cup triumph.
"He was always an absolute rock on the corner of the scrum. He did all the work in the scrum and I could just have a breather."
Bio: Leonard is England's most-capped forward with 114 appearances and was a key figure in their 2003 World Cup triumph.
SECOND-ROW
Chris Gray (Scotland):
"Great man he was. Loved playing next to him."
Bio: Gray won 24 caps for Scotland, known for his work ethic and lineout expertise during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
"Great man he was. Loved playing next to him."
Bio: Gray won 24 caps for Scotland, known for his work ethic and lineout expertise during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Simon Shaw (England):
"I think he is one of the most underrated players in recent history. He had everything."
Bio: A towering presence in the second-row, Shaw earned 71 England caps and toured three times with the British & Irish Lions.
"I think he is one of the most underrated players in recent history. He had everything."
Bio: A towering presence in the second-row, Shaw earned 71 England caps and toured three times with the British & Irish Lions.
BACK-ROW
Richard Hill (England/Lions):
"He was fantastic guy and a terrific player, someone I got to know really well on that trip (1997 Lion). But in terms of bedroom manners, he was abysmal."
Bio: Hill was a crucial part of England's 2003 World Cup-winning back row, earning 71 caps and known for his tireless work rate.
"He was fantastic guy and a terrific player, someone I got to know really well on that trip (1997 Lion). But in terms of bedroom manners, he was abysmal."
Bio: Hill was a crucial part of England's 2003 World Cup-winning back row, earning 71 caps and known for his tireless work rate.
Rob Wainwright (Scotland/Lions):
"Someone I always loved playing with was Rob."
Bio: A versatile back-row forward, Wainwright won 37 caps for Scotland and captained the side during the 1995 World Cup.
"Someone I always loved playing with was Rob."
Bio: A versatile back-row forward, Wainwright won 37 caps for Scotland and captained the side during the 1995 World Cup.
Scott Quinnell (Wales/Lions):
"I've known Scotty for a long time, as a rival, as a fellow tourist, as a pundit, and a lot of hospitality functions. He was the complete player."
"I've known Scotty for a long time, as a rival, as a fellow tourist, as a pundit, and a lot of hospitality functions. He was the complete player."
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- Jordie Barrett over Damian de Allende is far from being correct. The hype around Dupont is also overreaching, he's probably 4th in the world and has been since the 2023 WC. He also avoids certain matchups which is strange. The rest of the list is pretty good apart from minor subjective biases.JasonMarlow16-09-2026
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