"A ray of hope": Sinfield's remembrance of buddy Burrow

Sinfield and Burrow both played more than 400 times for Leeds Rhinos

Rob Burrow, a 41-year-old former Leeds Rhinos teammate, was remembered by Kevin Sinfield as a "beacon of hope and inspiration".

After battling motor neurone disease (MND) for four and a half years, rugby league icon Burrow passed away on Sunday.

Sinfield and Burrow, who were once teammates at Leeds and are now friends, collaborated to raise millions of dollars for MND research and awareness.

"I hoped that this day would never come," Sinfield remarked. "The world has lost a great man and a wonderful friend to so so many."

During the 2024 New Year's Honours, Burrow and Sinfield were both awarded CBEs. Since Burrow's diagnosis in 2019, the two have contributed to the fundraising of over £15 million for MND charities.

Burrow would "continue to inspire me every single day," the speaker declared.

Sinfield continued, "I would always say that you were pound for pound the toughest player I ever played alongside, however since your diagnosis, you were the toughest and bravest man I have ever met."


In closing, he said, "I will miss you my little mate, all my love, Kev x."

Through his endurance trials, Sinfield has raised millions of dollars for research on motor neuron disease alone.

He raised nearly £825,000 last year by finishing seven ultra-marathons in seven days in seven locations, including Birmingham, Edinburgh, and Dublin.

The close-knit duo also introduced the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon, which was held last month for the second time.

On Sunday, supporters gathered outside Leeds Rhinos' home stadium, Headingley Stadium, to honor Burrow.

One of the Leeds second-row forwards that was present when Burrow retired in 2017 was Cameron Smith, who played with him at one point in his career.


It's a very sentimental evening. The number of individuals who have come to pay their respects is incredible, the 25-year-old said to Sky Sports. 

"I had the good fortune to play a few games with him. In addition to teaching me a lot about the game, he was also my academy coach and taught me how to be a decent guy and teammate.

"He was a truly tremendous player and he's left a tremendous legacy here."

"Rob, in a sport where courage, bravery, and grit are characteristic of every player at the absolute top, you were the most courageous, the bravest, and the grittiest of them all," Burrow's longtime former Leeds teammate Jamie Peacock wrote on Instagram.

"Becoming a source of inspiration for countless people and the MND community's compass, offering hope where none before existed. Never once bemoaned about your circumstances or state of affairs. a source of inspiration for everyone. RIP, my friend."

Prior to his passing in November 2022 at the age of 52, former Scotland rugby union player Doddie Weir worked with Burrow to promote MND awareness and funding. His charity, the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, called Burrow "a true inspiration".

On social media, Stephen Darby's wife, Steph Houghton, a former England football captain, and his close friend Chris Rimmer, who founded the Darby Rimmer MND Foundation, also offered their respects.


"Devastated is an understatement! Our love for Rob is beyond words," Houghton wrote on X.

Burrow was there at the beginning of the 'March of the Day' in March, which is a 178-mile march headed by Darby, who is afflicted with MND, and Marcus Stewart, a former striker for Ipswich, in support of the disease.