Kevin Sinfield, the Oldham rugby legend, is finally set to be awarded a knighthood after years of extraordinary fundraising for motor neurone disease (MND) charities. The 45-year-old former Leeds Rhinos star has raised more than £11 million in honour of his late friend and teammate Rob Burrow.
Fundraising Feats and Public Recognition
Sinfield has undertaken gruelling endurance challenges to raise funds, prompting repeated calls for him to be honoured. Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle recently described him as 'a rugby league legend who should be Sir Kevin Sinfield'. According to reports, Sinfield is expected to receive the knighthood in the King's Birthday Honours list.
Rob Burrow's Battle with MND
Rob Burrow was diagnosed with the devastating muscle-wasting condition in 2019 and sadly passed away in 2024. 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. Burrow died five months later at the age of 41, after living with MND for four and a half years.
MND and Rugby
MND is a life-shortening neurological condition that affects 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. Former England captain Lewis Moody revealed he had been diagnosed with MND last year.
Sinfield, now an England rugby union coach, has continued to raise millions through epic endurance challenges. Last year, the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease at Seacroft Hospital opened in Leeds, the first purpose-built facility for MND patients and research. Prince William, joined by Sinfield and Burrow's widow Lindsey, told Burrow's children, 'You should be so proud of your father because he really was an incredibly brave and very special man.' He added, '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', where he will 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 MND. Speaking to BBC Breakfast, he said, 'Our team have done a wonderful job. I couldn't have done any of it without them... 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.
