Kevin Sinfield CBE has told Sky Sports Rob Burrow “taught me to be a better friend”, saying a book they have written together is “one of the best things we did in 20 years of friendship.”
On June 2, Leeds Rhinos announced their former scrum-half Burrow had passed away after a four-and-a-half-year battle with motor neurone disease.
Sinfield and Burrow raised more than £15m for MND charities following Burrow’s diagnosis in 2019, two years after he retired from playing.
The duo produced a children’s book entitled Try in the months before Burrow’s death, with Sinfield revealing his feelings now upon the book’s release.
“Just incredibly proud,” Sinfield said. “We got a physical copy back in late April/early May and we were both so excited to see each other as these little characters in a kid’s book.
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Sinfield spoke about the children’s book he wrote with his late teammate Burrow, who recently died after having motor neurone disease
“It was brilliant and we spent a lot of time laughing about doing it. The plan was to publish in the middle of June and given what happened, Rob passed early June, meant this was delayed.
“But Rob loved doing this and to have something that’s physical that we completed together and for it to be the last thing we did, which is such a positive thing as well, is great. I know Little Jackson Burrow, who’s five, has had this book read to him about a hundred times and loves it. So even if it was just for Little Jackson it would be a brilliant thing to do.
“I have to say it is one of the best things we’ve done and we’ve done a number of things together over the last 20 odd years.
“I think it’s because it’s trying to pass a message on about how important friendship is. I feel incredibly fortunate because I’ve been around rugby guys all my life and I’ve been in the dressing room since I was seven. I understand how powerful the connections you get from team sport are, in particular rugby. They’re the best thing to come from my career.
“To have something that we can try and share with kids and explore what friendship and heroes mean to them is brilliant.”
Sinfield says the greatest lesson Burrow taught him was ‘how to be a better friend’
Sinfield was awarded an MBE in 2014 in recognition of his rugby league career, and subsequently an OBE in 2021 for his fundraising work to help find a cure and help those living with MND.
In December last year Sinfield ran seven ultra-marathons in as many days across seven different cities, crossing the finishing line at The Mall in London after 27-mile routes in Leeds, Cardiff, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Dublin and Brighton.
Sinfield puts sharing crossing the finish line of the Leeds Marathon with former team-mate Burrow up there with anything the duo achieved together as players.
The pair starred on both rugby league’s club and international stage during their playing careers, most notably as mainstays of the all-conquering Leeds Rhinos team which has gone down in the sport’s history as the club’s ‘Golden Generation.’
When asked what the greatest lesson Burrow taught him was, Sinfield replied: “To be a better friend I think. There’s lots of lessons.
Sinfield and Burrow were both made CBEs (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the New Year Honours list, for services to Motor Neurone Disease awareness
“When you finish playing you can become lost for a period of time. You’re trying to work out where you fit, what life looks like for you. You’ve got the vast majority of your life still to live and you’re trying to work out what path to take and you’ve done your dream job.
“You finish playing at 35 and you’re like: well that was my dream job so anything I do now won’t live up to it. I was pretty determined that rugby wouldn’t define the rest of my life. Through terrible circumstances with Rob it gave me a chance to throw myself at something and for that I’m incredibly grateful.
“I’d say he brought the best out of me. I knew from my playing career that being in a tough spot, having not played well or lost a final somewhere, he brought the best out of me for whatever reason. Rob’s adversity brought the best out of me and taught me to be a better friend.
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Sinfield: ‘I wish Rob could have seen the outpouring of love’
“It also taught me how important giving is, giving of your time, giving of yourself is really important. Still having some sacrifice in your life, whatever that may be.
“There’s not many people who want to talk rugby to me anymore, they want to talk about MND, they want to talk about running or Rob. That’s great, that’s really nice how life has moved for me. I love talking about MND, I love talking about Rob and running. It’s good.”
As for what his hopes for Try are, Sinfield conceded part of it is for Burrow to always be remembered.
“I’m just looking at a copy now, a front cover, and I have no massive expectations. I’m just delighted the final thing we’ve done together is a front cover with a picture of the pair of us smiling.
“I hope people remember Rob forever.”
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Burrow and his family took over Sky Sports coverage of Leeds Rhinos against Huddersfield Giants to raise awareness of motor neurone disease in June 2023
If you are affected by these issues or want to talk, please contact the Samaritans on the free helpline 116 123, or visit the website www.samaritans.org
