Former Scotland star Doddie Weir and his family were on hand to deliver the matchday ball for the Scots' Autumn Nations Series clash against New Zealand on Sunday.
Weir and his family had carried the match ball the last time the All Blacks came to Murrayfield in 2017, just months after Weir had revealed his diagnosis.
It is five years since Weir, 52, launched his charity — the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation — which raises awareness of motor neurone disease, a condition he was diagnosed with in 2016. Weir has helped raise millions of pounds to fund research.
Weir, in a wheelchair, was wheeled onto the pitch with his wife Kathy and sons Hamish, Angus and Ben, along with one of the charity's youngest fundraisers, six-year-old Charlie Mackenzie, from Ross Sutherland Rugby Club, who carried the ball on this occasion. They were applauded rapturously by the crowd at Murrayfield, before match captains Jamie Ritchie and Sam Whitelock approached to embrace the group and receive the ball.
Commentator Andrew Cotter said: "Doddie's here again, and there's no ignoring the cruel effect [of MND] but not on his spirit or the work that he and so many others have done to try and build a future for others with MND. The love for him is far from diminished, as Murrayfield shows now."
Scotland are wearing Weir's famous blue and yellow tartan, on their shirt numbers, to highlight the charity's anniversary.
Speaking ahead of the clash, captain Ritchie spoke of how Weir's presence would help inspire the team to try and claim a first win over New Zealand.
"Doddie's so special to us all," Ritchie said. "The strength and the courage that he's shown over the last five or six years since his diagnosis, just to keep fighting, is an inspiration to anyone, not just us as a playing group. I know he is special to the group and I'd like to think that the group is special to him.
"I said to the boys out there during the team run, 'if you need any other motivation than to do it for him, then I don't know what to say'. It'll be hugely inspirational for us."
In 31 meetings and 117 years of trying, Scotland have never beaten the All Blacks.
Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend, who played alongside legendary lock Weir including on the victorious Lions tour to South Africa in 1997, said: "It’s of huge significance that Doddie will be at BT Murrayfield with us on Sunday. It’s to acknowledge what Doddie has done over the last five years, show our love for him and his fight against MND, and also it’s to remember that great night five years ago when he launched the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.
“So many people in Scottish rugby feel they’ve been on this journey with him and I know he has inspired a lot of people to do things to raise money and probably change peoples lives. I know he’s going to change a lot of lives in the future due to the work he’s doing.
“It’s great the numbers on the back of our shirts will be in Doddie’s tartan, as we’ll feel we’ll have Doddie with us. He’s a big supporter of the team. I always get a message the night before our game saying we’re going to win this weekend and wishing us all the best. It’ll mean a lot to him if we get the win on Sunday and that’s what we’re working towards.”
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