Southern Knights lose friendly fixture against Newcastle Falcons in memory of Doddie Weir by 68-19

That friendly fixture at Newcastle’s Kingston Park was staged as a fundraiser for late Scotland lock Doddie Weir’s motor neurone disease charity, the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation.

Blainslie’s Weir spent most of his club career at Melrose and Falcons, playing for the former from 1989 to 1995 and the latter from 1995 to 2002, with Tait as a team-mate for two seasons.

The weekend’s game was the third time Knights and Falcons have contested Doddie’s Club Trophy but the first since Weir was killed by MND in November at the age of 52.

The English Gallagher Premiership side have now won it twice, coming out on top by 57-10 at its launch at Kingston Park in December 2019, with Weir there to present them with their prize.

The Knights won 23-12 at the Greenyards in Melrose second time round in October 2021 against a Falcons side featuring ex-Gala flanker Gary Graham.

Allan Ferrie, Gary Young and Eoin Harrison scored Knights’ tries on Saturday, with Harris Rutherford adding two conversions.

Touching down for their hosts were Freddie Lockwood with a hat-trick, Vereimi Qorowale with four, Iwan Stephens at the double and Pete Lucock, with Josh Thomas adding nine conversions.

Also lining up for Knights at the weekend were Nathan Sweeney, Keiran Clark, Paddy Anderson, Robbie Chalmers, Ryan Cottrell, Bruce Houston, Callum Davidson, Grant Shiells, Russell Anderson, Craig Greer, Erem Demirel, Jamie Campbell and Will Hopes, with James Bett, Jack Dobie, Clark Skeldon, Cammy Thompson, Murray Redpath and Murray McGregor as replacements.

A return match is to be played in the summer in Melrose after being postponed a week ago on Saturday due to Tait being unable to muster a squad at that time.

A Knights spokesperson said: “As both clubs remain committed to retaining this double-header fixture in the calendar, it was agreed it was better to postpone the game rather than risk harming the competitiveness required to have a great rugby match fitting of the man it celebrates.”