Doddie Weir's sons honour father at memorial

The children of Doddie Weir person paid tribute to their begetter by speechmaking a poem astir him during an affectional memorial work successful the Borders.

The erstwhile Scotland rugby planetary died six years aft helium was diagnosed with centrifugal neurone illness (MND).

His sons, Hamish, Angus and Ben, wore tartan suits - akin to those worn by their begetter - for the work astatine Melrose Parish Church.

And they recited Requiem for Doddie (The Mad Giraffe) by Timmy Douglas.

Weir was erstwhile dubbed a "mad giraffe" for his unsocial playing style.

He was capped 61 times betwixt 1990 and 2000, and aft his MND diagnosis helium raised millions of pounds for MND probe and enactment done his My Name'5 Doddie foundation.

In 2019 helium received an OBE for services to rugby, MND probe and the Borders community. He died past month, aged 52.

The memorial work was unrecorded streamed connected Scottish Rugby's website and the audio was besides relayed to astir 1,000 members of the nationalist astatine the Greenyards rugby crushed of Melrose Rugby Club.

Before the ceremony, Weir's wife, Kathy, thanked radical for their enactment successful the 2 weeks since helium died.

"As a family, we person been overwhelmed by the galore messages we person received from each implicit the world," she said successful a statement.

"They person brought large comfortableness to maine and the boys.

"We truly admit radical taking the clip to stock their ain memories of Doddie and fto america cognize we are successful their thoughts."

"The memorial work volition springiness those attending a accidental to wage their respects and travel unneurotic successful Doddie's name," she added.

"We recognize not everyone volition beryllium capable to marque it, peculiarly fixed the clip of year, but we cognize you're each reasoning of us."

His adjacent person and erstwhile teammate Carl Hogg work a eulogy to the farmer, rugby subordinate and campaigner.

He said helium would "cherish" the memories helium shared with Weir.

"Dodie had an astonishing life," helium said. "It was enactment packed and afloat of fun, with tons of escapade and tons of love."

He concluded by paying tribute to the anticipation which Doddie Weir gave everyone.

His motto, helium said, was: "Enjoy beingness portion you tin - you conscionable don't cognize what is circular the corner".

Former teammate Rob Wainwright and Scottish Rugby president John Jeffrey besides gave tributes to the rugby legend.

They spoke of his playful antics connected and disconnected the rugby pitch, his determined campaigning for MND, and however helium centred his beingness astir his family.

Mr Wainwright called Weir "one of the champion loved icons of the crippled of rugby".

He added: "He has moved mountains, galvanised government, inspired nations and acceptable successful question a crusade that volition lone extremity erstwhile we find a cure for this atrocious disease."

Mr Jeffrey, who is besides a trustee of the foundation, said Weir's interaction went "way beyond" the rugby assemblage successful Scotland and the remainder of the British Isles.

He highlighted the past six years of Weir's life, saying his jokes became much embarrassing, his humour much childish, his pranks much outrageous and his tartan suits much outlandish.

He said the occurrence of Weir's instauration was down to him being "dogged, determined and sheer bloody-minded".

And helium paid a tearful tribute to Weir's woman Kathy, saying however arrogant helium was of her and his boys.