Rugby legend Kevin Sinfield finally knighted in Birthday Honours for MND fundraising heroics
EXCLUSIVE: Kevin Sinfield, who played rugby league for England between 2000 and 2013, has been recognised for his outstanding fundraising efforts for motor neurone disease (MND) charities after teammate Rob Burrow’s diagnosis
Kevin, 45, is expected to be awarded the gong in the King’s Birthday Honours list following his extraordinary fundraising efforts in memory of his late friend and teammate Rob Burrow.
Calls have been mounting for the modest star to be knighted, who has raised more than £11million for motor neurone disease (MND) charities after Rob was diagnosed with the devastating muscle-wasting condition in 2019. Earlier this week, Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle described him as “a rugby league legend who should be Sir Kevin Sinfield”.
The former Leeds and England rugby league players moved the nation with their friendship, with Kevin famously carrying Rob over the finish line at the Leeds Marathon in 2023 after pushing him round the course in a specially adapted wheelchair.
Sinfield (left) hugs Rob Burrow with whom he was close friends(Image: PA)
Sinfield carried Burrow over the finish line of the 2023 Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon(Image: PA)
They were both made CBEs in the 2023 New Year Honours List and Prince William surprised them with their awards at Headingley Stadium – the home of Leeds Rhinos where they both played. Rob tragically died five months later aged 41, after living with MND for four and half years.
MND is a life-shortening neurological condition that impacts the nerves sending messages from the brain to the muscles. There is currently no cure and treatment focuses on managing symptoms.
While there is no research linking MND to head injury, Rob was not the only rugby player to be diagnosed with MND. Former Scotland international Doddie Weir died in 2022 aged 52, six years on from his diagnosis. And ex-England captain Lewis Moody revealed he had been diagnosed with the condition last year.
Kevin, now an England rugby union coach, has gone on to raise millions of pounds in memory of his best friend through a series of epic endurance challenges.
The pals are pictured at an event in May 2023(Image: PA)
Last year, the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease at Seacroft Hospital opened its doors in Leeds, the first ever purpose-built facility to help MND patients, and to carry out vital research.
Joined by Kevin, and Rob’s widow Lindsey, Prince William told the rugby star’s children Macy, Maya, and Jackson, they should be “so proud of your father because he really was an incredibly brave and very special man”.
He added: “This is a world-leading centre that’s going to save a lot of lives.”
Sinfield (centre) took on the seven ultra-marathons across seven areas, including here in south Wales(Image: John Myers)
Kevin has just announced his seventh and final challenge, which will see him run an ultramarathon a day for seven days. Known as “7 in 7: The Grand Finale”, he will run between Hull and Manchester, visiting all 12 English Super League grounds. He will run a mile each day alongside people affected by the neurodegenerative illness.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast about his efforts, he said: “Our team have done a wonderful job. I couldn’t have done any of it without them, they are so unselfish in the way they’ve gone about this.
“We couldn’t have done this on our own. The money has gone a long way and we’re getting closer and closer, but we’ve got to keep pushing, we’ve got to try and find a cure.”
