STAND-OFF BATTLE

phone, I just didn’t know what to say. When I saw him that night I went over to him and was explaining why I hadn’t been in touch and he just put those big paws of his around me and said ‘don’t worry about it’. That’s Doddie.”

Weir’s plight has inspired Tukalo, along with fellow former internationalists Roger Baird and Rob Wainwright to lead a 24-hour cycle “spinathon” at the David Lloyd Centre in Cortstorphine on Saturday 7- and Sunday 8 July.

Starting at 10am on the Saturday, 31 exercise bikes, with some still available for volunteers, will be used for a variety of spinning shifts up to the full 24 hours.

“We wanted to do something which involved a bit more than just pulling out our wallets,” said Tukalo. “There will be a bit of discomfort involved but nothing compared to what Doddie is going through.”

Tukalo’s involvement with rugby these days doesn’t stretch much further than going down to Goldenacre to watch his son Todd, a centre/wing, play for Heriot’s

“I thought Adam Hastings was superb and Finn Russell might well be looking over his shoulder in the next couple of years. Adam’s certainly got more pace than his dad and is carving out his own niche, he’s his own player in a different position”

IWAN TUKALO 2nd XV. He hasn’t got himself too involved with the debate about the future of club rugby and the advent of the new part-time professional Super 6 league, of which Heriot’s