MUCH-LOVED RUGBY STAR ROB BURROW TRIBUTES POUR IN FOR LEEDS RHINOS LEGEND AND M.N.D. CAMPAIGNER

'He was such a lovely, lovely person. I hope we are doing him proud'

- TRACY SCHAVERIEN

The Prince and Princess of Wales led tributes to Rob Burrow after his death last week, four and a half years after the rugby league legend was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND).

The former Leeds Rhinos star, who raised millions for MND research during his illness, passed away peacefully in hospital, surrounded by his family.

Rob, 41, won the hearts of people all over the world through his fighting spirit and relentless quest to raise money to find a cure for the degenerative neurological condition, which slowly robbed him of the ability to speak and walk.

LASTING TRIBUTE

Prince William, who met Rob, his wife Lindsey and their children during a surprise visit to Rhinos’ Headingley Stadium in January to present Rob and his best friend and former team-mate Kevin Sinfield with CBEs, wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “A legend of Rugby League, Rob Burrow had a huge heart. He taught us, ‘in a world full of adversity, we must dare to dream.’ Catherine and I send our love to Lindsey, Jackson, Maya and Macy.”

A mere 24 hours after Rob’s death, his loved ones, including Kevin, set about fulfilling his dying wish as they started work on the new £6m Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease in Leeds.

Rob’s tearful father Geoff, who led the breaking-ground ceremony, said: “He was such a lovely, lovely person. I hope we are doing him proud.” The star’s mother Irene added: “We are going to keep banging that drum.”