Rugby teams past and present to clash for Doddie

Former classmates of Doddie Weir are set to scrum on down to help the rugby hero’s charity.

Past and present students at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)will come together to raise money for the rugby legend’s motor neurone disease charity next week.

The ex-Melrose and Newcastle Falcons lock gained the first of his 61 Scotland caps against Argentina in 1990 while studying for an HND in Agriculture at SRUC’s Edinburgh campus.

He also played a crucial role in his country’s World Cup campaign of 1991, where Scotland reached the semi-finals, before graduating the following summer.

Now two of his former classmates, including Hamish Dykes from the BBC’s Lambing Live programme, will turn out for an SRUC Alumni team against the college’s current Edinburgh Agrics side in a special charity match, where they hope to raise at least £2000 for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.

Scotland international rugby legend Doddie Weir’s college friends are set to tackle SRUC’s current crop in an Edinburgh charity match

Another college friend, David Ireland, director of waste management and recycling company 3R Solutions, will also be lacing up his boots for next week’s game in Edinburgh.

The coin toss will be performed by My Name’5 Doddie trustee Finlay Calder, the former Scotland flanker who captained the British and Irish Lions on their successful Australian tour in 1989.

Doddie revealed last year that he had MND and set up the foundation to raise money for research and to provide grants to people living with the condition.

The SRUC match will take place at Peffermill Playing Fields on Wednesday, 18 April (kick off 7pm).

Entry is free but collection buckets will be circulating on the night and anyone interested in giving to the cause is invited to donate by clicking here.

The team of former students will be captained by Steven Mitchell, who runs the famous Buffalo Farm in Fife and starred in the second series of BBC’s This Farming Life, while the current side is captained by Ian Carlisle, a third-year student from Dumfries.

Doddie with former SRUC classmates Hamish Dykes (left) and David Ireland on his farm

Doddie said: ‘I am delighted to see my old college is staging a rugby match for My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. I have so many fantastic memories of being at SRUC where I made such a great number of friends – it is impressive to hear that some of them are still able to pull on a pair of rugby boots!

‘The level of support and generosity people have shown me since I shared my diagnosis has been amazing and it has meant a great deal to me and my family.

‘We are now firmly focused on what we can do to help fund research and hopefully, one day, find a cure for MND. We also want to support fellow sufferers and push the need for research further up the agenda. Good luck to everyone involved, I know you’ll have a great night.’

Wayne Powell, principal and chief executive of SRUC, said: ‘We’re proud to count Doddie Weir – a Scotland rugby legend – among our former students and this match is a fantastic way of helping to raise money for his foundation.

‘We’re delighted that so many SRUC alumni, including some of Doddie’s ex-classmates, have agreed to take part against our current crop of rugby players for what promises to be a memorable and extremely worthwhile occasion.’

Hamish Dykes said: ‘The first time I met Doddie at college, he was straight out of school and fairly unknown. But by the time we left, he was a famous international rugby player, so I like to think our influence helped!

‘It’s brilliant to get the opportunity to take part in this match and help Doddie’s charity and also to renew some old acquaintances at SRUC.’