Leeds Rhinos v Hull KR: Jimmy Keinhorst pays tribute to ‘inspirational’ Rob Burrow ahead of Headingley return

Keinhorst was a team-mate of Burrow during a seven-season spell in Rhinos’ first-team squad.

The 31-year-old German international joined Hull KR ahead of the 2019 season and, after loan spells at York City Knights and Castleford Tigers, including a try against Leeds at Headingley in August, signed a new one-year contract earlier this week.

Looking back at who inspired him during his career with Leeds, Keinhorst said eight-time Grand Final winner Burrow, who is now battling motor neurone disease, was a “massive” help.

“He always showed a massive amount of confidence in you,” Keinhorst said.

“If you were playing alongside him he’d have the utmost confidence in you and that’s a massive thing for a young bloke.

“To give you an opportunity not to play differently around him, to let you do what you can do and have that confidence in you, that was a big thing that stuck with me.”

Keinhorst is set to take over from injured former Rhinos team-mate Ryan Hall in Hull KR’s starting line-up this evening, but will be putting his affection for Leeds to one side for the 80 crucial minutes.

“It is another club in the competition we are trying to get past, that’s how we have to look at it,” he said of facing his old team.

“While I am grateful for the time I had at Leeds, I am at Hull KR now and we’ve got a game against us that could put us in a position to go farther in this competition.

“That’s all I am looking at, to be honest.”

The Robins moved up into fifth place after last Saturday’s home win over Castleford Tigers.

They finished bottom of Super League last season and, explaining their turnaround, Keinhorst said: “We never put a specific target on this year.

“We’ve gone about our business and tried to be the best we can be each week.

“To be in with an opportunity of getting into the play-offs, we are excited and looking forward to that.”

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