Marc Bazeley
Former dual-code international John Bentley played alongside Doddie Weir for Newcastle Falcons and the British and Irish Lions; Bentley’s former rugby league team Leeds Rhinos are honouring the Scottish great with a special shirt to be worn at this week’s Super League Magic Weekend
Last Updated: 01/06/23 3:48pm
John Bentley with Leeds player Jarrod O’Connor and the Doddie Weir tartan shirt the Rhinos will be wearing at Magic Weekend
John Bentley played alongside Doddie Weir as a team-mate at club and Test level, but more importantly he could call him a friend. Now the former dual-code international’s old rugby league team are paying tribute to the Scottish rugby union icon in one of the cities he starred in.
Weir died in November last year at the age of 52 after suffering with motor neurone disease, having dedicated his life to raising money and awareness of the condition following his diagnosis in 2016. More recently, he had become close with Rob Burrow after the rugby league star was diagnosed with MND in November 2019 too.
That has resulted in Burrow’s old club Leeds Rhinos choosing to honour Weir’s legacy with a special kit depicting his tartan to be worn when they face Castleford Tigers at Magic Weekend in Newcastle, from which £10 of every replica sold will go to the ‘My Name’5 Doddie’ foundation.
It was moving back to the 15-player code in 1996 with Newcastle Falcons following the advent of professionalism where Bentley first got to know the second row who enjoyed life off the field as well as on it, and the former winger could not think of a more appropriate way to pay tribute.
“It’s a wonderful tribute to both Doddie and the family,” Bentley, who spent four years with Leeds from 1988 to 1992 after crossing rugby’s divide from Sale, told Sky Sports.
“He was an amazing person. We all went up to his memorial to celebrate his life, and the only shame about that was he liked a party and he missed it.
“It’s a condition for which there’s no cure, as we’re all aware, and it is money which goes towards research for that.
Weir celebrates winning the Premiership with Newcastle in 1998
“What [former Bradford City footballer] Stephen Darby, Rob Burrow and Doddie Weir have done is raise the profile and intensified the funding, the raising of money, to find a cure.”
Bentley and Weir spent two seasons as team-mates at Newcastle during the period the north-east club emerged as a domestic force in the early years of rugby union’s professional era, winning the Premiership in 1998 just one season after earning promotion from National Division Two.
They were both part of the five-strong Falcons contingent which toured South Africa with the British and Irish Lions in 1997, with the duo emerging as two of the stars of the ground-breaking ‘Living with Lions’ documentary which followed the journey of Ian McGeechan’s team in their 2-1 series win.
Given their effervescent personalities, it is no surprise Bentley and Weir were both in demand as after-dinner speakers once their playing days had ended either and that strengthened the bond between them.
Rob Burrow and Weir met following the former’s MND diagnosis
“I got into speaking at dinners and events, so we ended up having a relationship all over the world together for another 10 or 15 years speaking at dinners and events,” Bentley, who finished his playing career back in rugby league with Halifax and Huddersfield Giants, said.
“As you can probably imagine, we had some fun. I was never far away from the mischief, and neither was Doddie, but what goes on tour stays on tour so I can’t share that!
“That documentary was ground-breaking. We had player cams, and we had some fun. We got some footage a film crew would never have got – and we got some footage which couldn’t possibly be published either!”
Weir and Burrow being diagnosed with MND has brought together supporters of both codes of rugby, most notably throwing their weight behind the efforts of Kevin Sinfield in raising both funds and awareness to benefit the entire MND community.
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Kevin Sinfield described the moment of crossing the Leeds Marathon finish line with Rob Burrow as ‘really, really special’
The former Leeds captain and now England defence coach met Weir shortly before his death when he began his attempt to run seven ultramarathons in seven days at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh and had previously visited him with Burrow.
Bentley is in awe of what Sinfield has done to aid the man he shared Super League glory alongside and everyone else living with MND, and knows from his job working behind the scenes at Headingley for the past 23 years how sportspeople are in the position to help change the lives of others.
“He always was an amazing person as a rugby player, but he’s proved to be an incredible human being as well,” Bentley said. “What he has done is unbelievable.
“The money Kevin has got about raising is also for someone who lives in a back-to-back mid-terrace house who hasn’t got the funding and support network around them to assist.
Weir was at the start of Kevin Sinfield’s attempt to run seven ultramarathons in seven days last year
“It’s for vital supplies and things to make their lives far more comfortable than it is – it’s helping everybody.
“This is something which goes beyond that rivalry, for the love of two very loved individuals in Rob and Doddie. It comes under the banner of rugby, doesn’t it?”
Watch every game of the Super League’s 2023 Magic Weekend live on Sky Sports. Coverage starts from 1pm on Saturday, June 3 and 11.30pm on Sunday, June 4. You can also stream it on NOW TV.