Rob Burrow: permanent memorial pledged as city says fond farewell to Leeds Rhinos legend

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House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle and former teammate Jamie Jones-Buchanan led tributes to Leeds Rhinos legend Rob Burrow as the city said farewell to a legend today.

Hoyle and Jones-Buchanan were among the speakers at a civic memorial to celebrate the life of the Rhinos hero who died last month, four and a half years after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND). Almost 200 invited guests, including members of Burrow’s family, listened to moving tributes to the 41-year-old father of three as a player, family man and campaigner for the MND community.

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Also president of the Rugby Football League, Hoyle is also a fan of Warrington Wolves who beat Rhinos 30-18 in a Betfred Super League game last night, but suffered some painful dereats to a Burrow-inspired Leeds during the scrum-half’s heyday. He told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “Rob broke my heart on a regular basis – he made me cry!

“As a Warrington fan I’d be thinking ‘this is going to be our game’ and who steps up and changes the game? One Rob Burrow. He was true class, a magician. He is rugby league royalty and today is about remembering this great warrior who played for Leeds.

House of Commons Speaker and RFL president Sir Lindsay Hoyle at the civic event in memory of Leeds Rhinos great Rob Burrow. Picture by Peter Smith.House of Commons Speaker and RFL president Sir Lindsay Hoyle at the civic event in memory of Leeds Rhinos great Rob Burrow. Picture by Peter Smith.
House of Commons Speaker and RFL president Sir Lindsay Hoyle at the civic event in memory of Leeds Rhinos great Rob Burrow. Picture by Peter Smith.

“They had a great team and Rob was the key to making that team tick. He won eight Grand Final medals, just one of those would have done for Warrington.”

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Burrow was diagnosed with MND, which has no known cure, in 2019 and campaigned tirelessly to raise funds for fellow sufferers and awareness of the disease. Hoyle added: “He was a warrior with his illness as well.

“He was at the forefront of saying we can fight this, we must do more. He never stopped fighting, he gave everybody hope and inspiration and that means so much. He was a true hero to us all.”

Jones-Buchanan, now a director at Leeds, described Burrow as “the beating heart of the golden generation” which dominated English rugby league from 2004-2017. He said: “Pound for pound, he was the strongest in the gym, he was a comedian and he proved the naysayers wrong. He was the most courageous human being I have ever met.”Other speakers included the Lord Mayor of Leeds Councillor Abigail Marshall Katung, who hosted the event at the city’s Civic Hall, alongside MND Association chief executive Tanya Curry, Leeds City Council leader councillor James Lewis, Tom Riordan (chief executive of Leeds City Council), Ed Anderson CBE (HM Lord-Lieutenant of West Yorkshire) and Paul Watkins (director of fundraising at Leeds Hospitals Charity).

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Lewis said the council will now discuss ways of “finding a fitting, permanent commemoration and a long-term legacy” for Burrow. The event ended with a standing ovation after a video of Burrow’s final public words: “In a world full of adversity, we must dare to dream”. The event was held in the Civic Hall's banqueting suite, which was also the location for the 2023 ceremony where Burrow was awarded the freedom of Leeds.

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