Rugby legend Kevin Sinfield has finally been awarded a knighthood, the Mirror can exclusively reveal. The 45-year-old former England rugby league star is expected to be recognised in the King's Birthday Honours list for his extraordinary fundraising efforts in memory of his late friend and teammate Rob Burrow.
Extraordinary Fundraising Efforts
Sinfield has raised more than £11 million for motor neurone disease (MND) charities after Burrow was diagnosed with the devastating muscle-wasting condition in 2019. Calls for the modest star to be knighted have been mounting, with Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle recently describing him as "a rugby league legend who should be Sir Kevin Sinfield."
Friendship That Moved the Nation
The former Leeds and England rugby league players moved the nation with their friendship. In 2023, Sinfield famously carried Burrow over the finish line at the Leeds Marathon after pushing him around the course in a specially adapted wheelchair. Both were made CBEs in the 2023 New Year Honours List, with Prince William surprising them with their awards at Headingley Stadium, the home of Leeds Rhinos where they both played. Burrow tragically died five months later at age 41, after living with MND for four and a half years.
Understanding MND
MND is a life-shortening neurological condition that impacts the nerves sending messages from the brain to the muscles. There is currently no cure, and treatment focuses on managing symptoms. While there is no research linking MND to head injury, Burrow was not the only rugby player diagnosed with the condition. Former Scotland international Doddie Weir died in 2022 at age 52, six years after his diagnosis, and ex-England captain Lewis Moody revealed he had been diagnosed last year.
Continued Legacy
Sinfield, now an England rugby union coach, has continued to raise millions in memory of his best friend through a series of epic endurance challenges. Last year, the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease at Seacroft Hospital opened in Leeds, the first purpose-built facility to help MND patients and carry out vital research. Joined by Sinfield and Burrow's widow Lindsey, Prince William told Burrow's children Macy, Maya, and Jackson that they should be "so proud of your father because he really was an incredibly brave and very special man," adding, "This is a world-leading centre that's going to save a lot of lives."
Final Challenge
Sinfield has just announced his seventh and final challenge, "7 in 7: The Grand Finale," which will see him run an ultramarathon a day for seven days between Hull and Manchester, visiting all 12 English Super League grounds. He will run a mile each day alongside people affected by the neurodegenerative illness. Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Sinfield said, "Our team have done a wonderful job. I couldn't have done any of it without them, they are so unselfish in the way they've gone about this. We couldn't have done this on our own. The money has gone a long way and we're getting closer and closer, but we've got to keep pushing, we've got to try and find a cure."
The King's Birthday Honours List will be published this weekend. The Government does not comment on honours before they are announced.
