Doddie was renowned for his top-class rugby career as well as his dedication to tackle motor neurone disease.

He was a fighter, a pranker, and a prawn cocktail enthusiast. He was too brave to ever face the fury of Jim Telfer.

As Scottish rugby and the sport in general mourns the loss of one of its greatest characters, some of his former colleagues share their memories and stories of a true giant of the game.

'He just laughed at me as I swung punches at him'

The head coach of Scotland was a team-mate of the man.

He was a great team mate. He's one of the few players who can keep a coach in check. He knew the line and was able to get away with something.

Two years younger than Doddie, I came into the Scotland squad to look up to him. When I arrived, he was a senior player in the Scotland team. David Sole loved him because he had the ear of the coaches.

He's very strong. He liked to fight, but people don't know. I went up against him in a derby.

I came back from a broken wrist, and it was all strapped up. He noticed this and I was at the bottom of the ruck on my first game back. I tried to hit him, but he was too far away. He is laughing at me as I hit him.

He was always talking about his accomplishments. He played for Scotland over 60 times and scored two tries against the All Blacks in the World Cup quarter-finals.

He was a good player but he was the best teammate you could have. He walked into any room.

There was a glint in his eye a few weeks ago. Two years ago we had a Borders reunion and he was up to something. Gary was with him most of the time. They would put something on your phone, put something on your bed, and put something on the toilet seat.

'He helped create the environment to let people flourish'

Ian McGeechan gave Weir his Scotland debut in 1990 and coached him on the 1997 British and Irish Lions tour before injury ended his involvement.

I feel sad for what we have lost. If you said "Doddie", most people in the UK would know who you were talking about. Doddie set himself a challenge to raise the profile and funding for the cause, which is a huge legacy to leave.

He was a great rugby player. He went on a Scotland tour at the age of 19 because of the respect he already had.

Doddie set the environment. There wasn't any negative vibes. It was positive and optimistic. Doddie wouldn't let you feel bad for yourself. He would not allow you to think negatively.

He was so important in creating that environment that people flourished in.

"Doddie didn't like things being half right, but he knew when it was necessary." Since his illness, one thing that has been shown is how positive he is.

"He didn't want people to forget about it - he's put himself out there for one reason - for MND to be understood by as many people as possible, and he's challenging governments now and wants them to stand by their words."

The people who don't have a voice are represented by him. We'll certainly never lose the spirit, even though we have lost the man.

'He was trying to put on weight - so ate five Big Mac meals in one go'

Peter Wright was a member of the Scottish team.

He had a lot of food in his life. Doddie was light for someone who was 6 feet 7in and was 14 stone.

Doddie told me that he was trying to put on weight and go on a new diet while we were in Dalmahoy. He told me that he was going for quantity. He said "Big Macs" when I asked what they were.

He buys five Big Mac meals at Mcdonald's and drives to Dalmahoy to eat them. He thought that he would put weight on if he ate more rubbish.

He used to have two main courses and as many desserts as he could get his hands on.

It made you happy. Every meal started with a prawn cocktail. He would also have soup with that.

He was always a bit crazy. You had a good time with him.

I would call that man a liar if I could find anyone who said bad things about him. I don't think anyone else in the world has had that kind of impact on people.

'He was the best line-out player in the world in the mid-90s'

Jim Telfer was the head coach of the Scottish national team.

He was 18 years old when he arrived in Melrose. We had a group of players that won a lot of titles.

He was a great player and destined for higher honours. He was 6ft 7ins and had an advantage in being so athletic. Doddie was a good 400m runner.

Doddie came to us as a young second-row, but his dad wanted him to play number eight because he didn't want Doddie to get hurt.

He would end up as a second row. He improved and improved. Melrose won most of their matches and played a style of rugby that suited him but to get in the Scotland and Lions team you have to do it on your own.

He was too smart to be reprimanded. He could make a good decision. He didn't cross the line with me.

He was a bit jack the lad but he did his part. He wouldn't volunteer to do weights because he was too busy working on the farm to do it.

He had a superb ability in the lineout. He was the best lineout player for two to three years in the 90s.

The hooker would have to throw it over Doddie if he stood at two in the line out.