Rob Burrow death: Prince William and Kevin Sinfield lead tribute to rugby star

BBC Breakfast’s Sally Nugent remembered the late rugby player Rob Burrow as “the smallest player on the pitch. But a huge man.”

Leeds Rhinos, the former rugby league star’s former club, announced his death at the age of 41 on Sunday.

Work to build a new £6m Rob Burrow Center for Motor Neurone Disease in Leeds will start on Monday, a day after the former rugby player’s death was announced.

Burrow died at the age of 41 after a four and a half year battle with the incurable disease. She was just 37 and had three children under the age of eight when she announced her diagnosis in 2019.

Kevin Sinfield and Prince William have paid tribute to former England and Leeds Rhinos rugby player Rob Burrow, who has died aged 41 after a long battle with motor neurone disease.

Mr Burrow, who played 493 times for Leeds and was capped 15 times for his country, has raised millions of pounds with former team-mate Mr Sinfield for various MND charities and the Rob Burrow Center for the MND Appeal in Leeds, following his diagnosis in 2019.

It’s a life-shortening neurological disease that affects the nerves that control movement so muscles stop working, according to the MND Association.

The charity says these nerves – motor neurons – control muscle activity such as walking, talking and swallowing.

But as they are attacked, messages from the brain gradually stop reaching the muscles, leading to weakness and wasting, followed by shortness of breath.

The MND Association says some people also experience changes in their thinking and behaviour.

– What are the first signs of MND?

The NHS says that MND symptoms come on gradually, so they may not be obvious at first.

Early symptoms include weakness in the ankles or legs, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing food, a weak grip, muscle cramps and twitches, and weight loss.

Burrow was just 37 years old and had three children under the age of eight when he announced on December 19, 2019, that he had been diagnosed with an incurable disease.

The former Leeds and Great Britain scrum-half immediately launched a campaign to raise awareness of the disease and here, the PA news agency charts the progress he made up until his death.

The Leeds Rhinos hung up his boots at the end of the 2017 season and was just starting to hit his stride as coach of the club’s academy side when news broke that he was suffering from an incurable illness.

The Prince of Wales has paid tribute to ‘Rugby League legend’ Rob Burrow following his death at the age of 41 following a long battle with motor neurone disease.

The MND Association said Burrow was a “passionate advocate” for people with the “brutal” disease and William said the former England international had a “huge heart”.

Burrow, who played 493 times for Leeds and was capped 15 times for his country, raised millions of pounds with former team-mate Kevin Sinfield for various MND charities and the Rob Burrow MND Appeal Center in Leeds following his diagnosis in 2019.

Kevin Sinfield has described Rob Burrow as “a beacon of hope and inspiration” in an emotional tribute to his best friend, who has died aged 41.

Mr Sinfield said it was the day he hoped would “never come” as he mourned the loss of his former team-mate – a “wonderful friend to so many” who “fought to the end”.

“My love and thoughts go out to your beautiful family,” he added.