Rugby legend Kevin Sinfield finally knighted in Birthday Honours for MND fundraising heroics
EXCLUSIVE: Kevin Sinfield, who played rugby league for England between 2000 and 2013, has been recognised for his outstanding fundraising efforts for motor neurone disease (MND) charities after teammate Rob Burrow’s diagnosis
Rugby hero Kevin Sinfield will finally get a knighthood, the Mirror can reveal.
Kevin, 45, is expected to be awarded the gong in the King’s Birthday Honours list following his extraordinary fundraising efforts in memory of his late friend and teammate Rob Burrow.
Calls have been mounting for the modest star to be knighted, who has raised more than £11million for motor neurone disease (MND) charities after Rob was diagnosed with the devastating muscle-wasting condition in 2019. Earlier this week, Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle described him as “a rugby league legend who should be Sir Kevin Sinfield”.
The former Leeds and England rugby league players moved the nation with their friendship, with Kevin famously carrying Rob over the finish line at the Leeds Marathon in 2023 after pushing him round the course in a specially adapted wheelchair.
They were both made CBEs in the 2023 New Year Honours List and Prince William surprised them with their awards at Headingley Stadium – the home of Leeds Rhinos where they both played. Rob tragically died five months later aged 41, after living with MND for four and half years.
