Doddie Weir: Former Scotland lock dies at 52 after battle with motor neurone disease

Former Scotland international Doddie Weir has died at the age of 52, six years after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

Weir, capped 61 times between 1990 and 2000, went on to raise millions through his My Name'5 Doddie Foundation following his diagnosis in 2016.

The lock was given an OBE in 2019 for services to rugby, to MND research and to the Borders community.

He is survived by his wife Kathy and sons Hamish, Angus and Ben.

"Doddie was an inspirational force of nature," wrote Kathy.

"We are lucky to have shared our lives with him and we cherish all those memories: his love and warmth, his support and advice, his quick wit, and his terrible jokes. It is difficult to put into words how much we will miss him.

"MND took so much from Doddie, but never his spirit and determination. He battled MND so bravely, and whilst his own battle may be over, his fight continues through his foundation, until a cure is found 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."

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Born in Edinburgh, Weir played for Stewart's Melville and Melrose, where he won six championships, before turning out for Newcastle and Border Reivers in the professional era.

His first Scotland cap came against Argentina in November 1990.

A lineout specialist, he scored four international tries across his career, including two against New Zealand in a quarter-final loss at the 1995 World Cup.

Once famously described as being "on the charge like a mad giraffe" by commentator Bill McLaren, he was selected for the British and Irish Lions in 1997 but his tour of South Africa was ended prematurely by injury.

Earlier this month, he appeared at Murrayfield with the match ball before Scotland kicked off against New Zealand, receiving a rapturous welcome from the capacity crowd.

It mirrored the emotional on-pitch appearance he made with his three sons against the same opponents in autumn 2017.

Weir was honoured with the Helen Rollason Award at the 2019 BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

"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 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 seek meaningful treatments and one day, a cure for this devastating disease."