We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of England, Great Britain and Leeds Rhinos legend Rob Burrow at the age of just forty-one years from complications of the Motor Neurone Disease which he has suffered so bravely and inspirationally since his diagnosis almost five years ago.
Rob passed today at Pinderfield's Hospital in Wakefield after a short illness after he was admitted earlier in the week and he leaves behind his dedicated wife Lindsey, along with his three children Macy, Maya and Jackson who have been so brave over the last few years and inspirational in their support of Dad and family man Rob.
Rob retired from rugby league in 2017 after sixteen successful seasons at his only club, Leeds Rhinos where he made 492 appearances and scored 195 tries and 157 goals. During his club career he won eight Super League Grand Finals, two Challenge Cups, three World Club Challenge Cups, three League Leaders Shields, two Harry Sunderland Trophies, three selections for the Super League Dream Team and an MBE in the 2021 Queens New Years Honours List. The was a perfect professional, feared and admired by all in the game, able to play way beyond his stature and weight, and a fabulous representative of the game in the public eye.
Rob was recognised on the international stage and represented England on thirteen occasions spanning 2004 to 2013 and scored nine tries and twelve goals. He also pulled on a Great Britain shirt on five occasions with four tries and nine goals to his name.
Despite a stellar career and renown in the game it was his terrible diagnosis with motor neurone disease in December 2019 which brought him to the attention of the wider public and his tireless campaigning and fundraising alongside Lindsey and his family and his great friend Kevin Sinfield. Rob and Kevin raised an incredible amount of money, in excess of fifteen million pounds, as the rugby league world dug deep and took his cause to their hearts.
He leaves an incredible legacy, both to those who remember his mercurial performances in the Blue and Amber, and to those who will benefit from his fundraising in the future. As someone who stood on the terraces and watched the majority of those five hundred appearances, and had the honour to meet Rob on several occasions, he was someone who put joy in our hearts and smiles on our faces without expecting anything in return.
Rob Burrow, a giant of the game, you will be missed.
