Rob Burrow with me in spirit says Leeds Rhinos hero Kevin Sinfield ahead of 7 in 7: Together’ MND challenge
Leeds Rhinos icon Kevin Sinfield says late teammate Rob Burrow will be with him in spirit when he takes on his latest epic feat in the fight against motor neurone disease.
This year’s ‘7 in 7: Together’ challenge is the second since Burrow died in June, 2024. Sinfield admitted that makes it even harder, but stressed he’ll be inspired by memories of his close friend on every step of the route.
The challenge begins in Suffolk on Monday, with a finale at Rhinos’ AMT Headingley six days later. Sinfield will be running an ultra-marathon every day and admitted: “It has been tough the whole way along, but I think the beauty of Rob being here was I got to see him and spend time with him and clearly that's not there now.
“But like all of us when we lose people, you hold on to your fond memories and the good times, the times when he made me laugh. They are the bits I still remember now. It’s not unique for me to be out on a run and look at my watch and it have all the sevens on it; it's not unique for me to be out on a run and see a registration plate with three sevens on it. Stuff like that happens to me all the time and they are nice memories to have.”
The former Rhinos and England captain stressed: “I only think of Rob in a really positive, inspiring, fun way. Then you think about last Thursday [the opening of the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease at Seacroft Hospital in Leeds] and seeing [wife] Lindsay and the kids and Rob's mum and dad and sisters and seeing the legacy that has been built in his name. So as tough as it is him not being here, it’s also really really powerful what he has left behind. I can't think about him the whole week, because I’ll be a blubbering wreck, but certainly in tough moments I'll think of him and he will drive us on.”
Burrow was the joker in Leeds’ greatest side, which won eight Super League titles from 2004-2017. While Burrow’s father Geoff “thought we’d done enough a couple of years ago”, Sinfield said: “Rob just laughed, he thought we were crazy. I love the fact he found it hilarious we were out running in the cold and he was sat at home, but I do know if it had been any one of our teammates, he’d be out running with us too.”
Sinfield has been in training since September, despite spending the last month in camp with England rugby union - where he is an assistant-coach - for their autumn internationals. After batting injury last year, he confirmed he is “going in fit and healthy this time” and noted: “When you look outside and it’s chucking it down, it’s freezing and windy, the last thing most people want to do is go out and run.
“The time of year we do it, we expect poor weather conditions and part of the reason we do it at this time of year is because it is poor weather and we like to think people will feel sorry for us and donate a bit more.” Donations can be made here.