Rob Burrow: how rugby league will pay its respects at Wembley Challenge Cup finals day
Rugby league will pay its respects to Rob Burrow at Wembley this weekend.
Leeds Rhinos’ women are among six open-age teams taking part in the Betfred Challenge Cup and 1895 Cup finals, which are the sport’s first major fixtures since Burrow’s death from motor neurone disease (MND) last Sunday.
There will be one minute’s silence before both the Women’s Challenge Cup final between Rhinos and St Helens and the men’s showpiece which sees Wigan Warriors take on Warrington Wolves. The silence will follow traditional Cup final hymn Abide with Me, being performed by Maxwell Thorpe and Katherine Jenkins OBE.
A minute’s applause will be held after seven minutes of all four finals, beginning with the Year Seven schools clash and culminating in Wakefield Trinity’s 1895 Cup showdown against Sheffield Eagles. The men’s final will kick-off at 3.07pm, seven minutes later than originally scheduled. That celebrates the jersey number Burrow wore throughout most of his career.
Supporters will be able to leave tributes at the rugby league statue outside Wembley Stadium from 9.45am on Saturday. The RFL say all portable tributes, but not flowers, will be relocated to the John Holmes Statue at Rhinos’ AMT Headingley. Fans have been urged not to leave candles or any form of flames.
RL commercial managing director Rhodri Jones said: “Once the shock and sadness of Sunday night’s news had sunk in, we recognised the responsibility to provide a fitting celebration of a rugby league superhero. We are grateful to BBC Sport and Wembley Stadium for their support and to all involved with the six clubs and two schools who will be playing on Saturday.
“Challenge Cup final day has a great tradition of the rugby league family coming together. This year, for reasons none would have chosen, we will be united in grief, but also in paying suitable tribute to a player who has transcended the sport.”