Stricken Rhinos star: I’ll fight this to see my children grow up
Rob Burrow’s greatest struggle
LEEDS RHINOS legend Rob Burrow has maintained he is “fine with dying” after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease – but pledged to fight the incurable condition to try to see his children grow up.
One of rugby league’s greatest players, the scrum-half won eight Super League titles and played almost 500 games with Leeds before retiring in 2017.
Pontefract-born Burrow, 37, has three children all under eight and the England international, who now works as the coach of Rhinos’ reserve side, said: “The big thing is my family. I know they will be all right after [his death]. My wife is brilliant with the kids. I am fine with dying but it’s not being able to watch your kids grow up.
“So if there’s ever an incentive to be around for a while, I’ve got it.
“I’m inundated with people wanting to help, which has been humbling and overwhelming. I’m just going to try stuff. What’s the worst that can happen?”
The disease means messages from the motor neurones gradually stop reaching muscles. This leads them to weaken, stiffen and waste and those affected may lose the ability to walk, talk, eat, drink and ultimately to breathe.
Life expectancy varies but sufferers often die within three years of diagnosis.
Former Keighley Cougars prop Phil Stephenson died from MND last year aged 47 and ex-Sheffield Eagles player Nick Smith was just 38 when he passed away in 2017.
Mark Burgess, the father of Burrow’s former Great Britain teammate Sam Burgess, also died from the disease.
AS THE smallest player in Super League history, standing at just 5ft 5in tall, Rob Burrow overcame his height disadvantage to become an eight-time Grand Final winner with Leeds Rhinos, and one of the all-time greats of his sport, before hanging up his boots just two years ago.
Yet this is nothing compared to the courage that is now being shown by the tenacious 37-year-old, a hero to so many both on and off the pitch, after he was struck down with Motor Neurone Disease – the cruellest of life-limiting, and incurable, muscle-wasting conditions. A condition which, coincidentally, has afflicted rugby union’s 6ft 6in gentle giant Doddie Weir who was honoured at this week’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards, and who has taken time out to talk to Burrow about his own experiences with MND. Burrow and his young family should know that the whole of sport, and Yorkshire, will be on their side as they come to terms with what is a personal and sporting tragedy.