A FORMER Scotland and Gala rugby player will take on a gruelling cycling challenge in a bid to raise cash for Doddie Weir’s charity.

Ken Macaulay was awarded his Scotland cap retrospectively at a ceremony at Murrayfield in February.

It recognised his selection for a Scotland squad who played a French select team in Bordeaux in 1980.

Ken has decided to take on the challenge of raising money for four charities close to him through a 1,020-mile cycle which will see him visit the 76 clubs across Scotland which he played at.

“I’ve been told I’m mad, I’m bonkers,” he told Scottish Rugby. “People who know a lot more about cycling than me have told me that I should be doing six months’ worth of training before I attempt something like this.”

The former Gala, Heriot’s and North Berwick player will only have had around 10 weeks of preparation when he departs from Netherdale on Saturday, October 5.

He now lives no the Isle of Lewis where recent weather has been unfavourable.

“The weather has been so bad that training has been particularly tough but then it’s my own fault [in wanting to do the challenge], there’s no point bleating about it, just got to get on with it.

“I need to build up to doing long successive days as that’s what I’ll be in doing in October.

“I’m going to be undercooked come October, but I’ll not be as undercooked as some people think!”

He has chosen to support four charities in his cycle quest; My Name’5 Doddie Foundation; Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland; Prostate Scotland; and Murrayfield Injured Players Foundation.

Ken said: “I’d been wanting to do something for Chest, Heart and Stroke for a while. It was a stroke that killed my father and I’ve been wanting to do something on his behalf for a long time so it felt right.

“Having had examinations in the past, I’m all too aware that Prostate Scotland need to raise awareness. I played rugby for a long time, longer than most people, 30 years. I was very lucky to be largely injury free and I want to put something into the pot of the Murrayfield Injured Players Foundation for those who are not as fortunate.

“Doddie inspired us all and there has been some fantastic people who’ve raised funds for My Name’5 Doddie Foundation – I wanted to do my bit too.”

The route will see him start in Galashiels, heading into Dumfries and Galloway, Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, Ayrshire, Glasgow, South Lanarkshire, the Highlands, Aberdeen, Perth & Kinross, Dundee, Fife, Stirling, Edinburgh, East Lothian and Berwickshire before returning to the Borders.

On the fourth day Ken will have his longest cycle in one day from Lanark to Ardrossan, with a stop at Ayr, which will be 71.3 miles.

Ken will not be alone in his challenge – his son Richard whom he played alongside at North Berwick will join him for some of his rides alongside fellow retrospective cap recipients Stewart MacAslan, Grant Wilson, Johnny Robertson and Mark Moncrieff.

He said: “At the start and at the finish I will have Finlay Calder with me, he’s been very good at bullying other people into joining me. The last day Gary Armstrong will be with me and my son will do the first couple of days too.”

Scotland Internationalists and British and Irish Lions players Calder and Armstrong, Derek White and Iwan Tukalo will also join him along with those from the club game; Ian Rankin (Dundee), Robert Ritchie, Danny Waldman (North Berwick), Iain Duckworth (Heriot’s), George Runciman (Melrose) and current Scottish Rugby Union Vice President Keith Wallace (Haddington). He said: “Everyone who is cycling with me is much fitter than me and will have done more training than me!”

Ken will leave Netherdale on Saturday, October 5, and return to the same ground on Saturday, October 26.

You can donate to Ken’s fundraising efforts at: https://shorturl.at/i4NBrv