Rugby legend’s tears as 20,000 turn out to boost his MND fight
Hero Rob Burrow with his son Jackson on the pitch at Leeds yesterday
FANS gave an “unbelievable” show of support to rugby league legend Rob Burrow at a sell-out benefit game.
The former England and Leeds Rhinos scrum-half was diagnosed last month with incurable Motor Neurone Disease.
But Rob, 37, who retired from the sport in 2017, put on the club shirt for one final game yesterday to the delight of a 20,000strong crowd at the Headingley Stadium.
The friendly against Bradford Bulls ended in a 34-10 win for Leeds, with dad-of-three Rob making an emotionally charged appearance in the 76th minute.
Earlier, he had taken to the pitch through a guard of honour with tears in his eyes as he carried one-year-old son Jackson. With his daughters Macy, eight, and Maya, four, also in replica Rhinos kits, Rob gave a thumbs-up.
After the game, he said: “Overwhelmed. I’m blown away by all the support.”
Rob said the reaction to his diagnosis from fans was humbling but he didn’t want people to feel sorry for him.
He added: “I’m just a normal lad who is overawed by the attention.” And he pledged: “I’m not going to lie down and just take it.”
An appeal to help him through treatment has now raised an incredible £253,000 on Virgin Money Giving.
Rob has been told he could live up to 10 years and is hoping to become eligible to take part in trials for new medicines to tackle MND, which is a degenerative illness that attacks the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
Kevin Sinfield, 39, former Rhinos and England captain, called his pal an “inspiration”.
He added: “What Rob is facing is one hell of a challenge but he is not going to do it alone.
“There’s going to be an army of rugby league fans alongside him every step of the way.” Rob, once told he was too small at 5ft 5in for the sport, played his final topflight game in 2017, when he won his eighth Super League Grand Final.
ROB BURROW
FORMER LEEDS RHINOS STAR
I don’t want people to feel sorry for me... but I’m blown away by all the support
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