Rob Burrow: The incredible life of the Leeds Rhinos legend in pictures

Rugby league icon Rob Burrow has inspired many with his campaign to raise awareness of Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

After being diagnosed with the degenerative condition in 2019, Burrow and his friend and former team-mate Kevin Sinfield have raised more than £15 million for charity in less than five years.

Leeds Rhinos legend Burrow won the Super League eight times and played for England on 13 occasions.

The father-of-three died on Sunday aged 41 at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield.

Born in Pontefract on 26 September 1982, Burrow was a talented rugby league player from an early age.

But according to his father Geoffrey, he was told he would never play the sport professionally because of his height.

He stood at 1.65m (5ft 5in) but defied expectations, rising through the ranks at Leeds Rhinos, where he enjoyed a 16-year career.

His leadership and character were evident from an early age and at the age of 21 he captained the England academy team for their tour of New Zealand and Australia.

Burrow went on to be one of the most successful players in English rugby league history.

He won eight Super League championships, two Challenge Cups, was named in the Super League Dream Team three times and won the Harry Sunderland Trophy twice.

But just two years after retiring from professional rugby, Burrow was diagnosed with MND.

He dedicated the rest of his life to raising money to spread awareness of the disease with the help of family, friends and former teammates.

Sinfield, Burrow’s former team-mate at Leeds Rhinos, England and Great Britain, has helped his friend raise more than £15m for MND charities.

Their efforts have funded the Rob Burrow Center for MND at Seacroft Hospital, which is described as ‘the first of its kind’ by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

In 2022, Burrow received an MBE for his charity work, which he collected alongside his wife Lindsey, whom he married in 2006.

The couple met in their teens and have three children together.

The 2023 Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon saw over 10,000 participants take to the streets of the city in Burrow’s name.

Sinfield carried his pal across the finish line last year, and a year later they were awarded CBEs.

Burrow died on Sunday after battling MND for four and a half years.

Paying tribute to his friend, Sinfield said: “The world has lost a great man and a wonderful friend to so many.”