Rugby League fans will pay their respects to Rob Burrow at Wembley on Saturday, with a minute’s silence before the men’s and women’s Challenge Cup finals and a round of applause in the seventh minute of the games.
Leeds Rhinos players have also called for a stand at Headingley to be named after Burrow, who passed away on Sunday aged 41 after a four-and-a-half-year battle with motor neurone disease.
A statue of the Rhinos legend alongside his former captain Kevin Sinfield at the stadium had already been commissioned by the club.
Speaking at Monday’s Challenge Cup final media day, Rugby League Commercial managing director Rhodri Jones said: ‘Saturday provides us with an opportunity to celebrate his life for everyone at the stadium and also the BBC TV audience.
‘All teams will show their support for Rob and their support for the battle he championed against MND.’
Rugby League fans will pay their respects to Rob Burrow at Wembley on Saturday
A minute’s silence will be held before the men’s and women’s Challenge Cup finals
Burrow won the Challenge Cup twice during his glittering playing career with Leeds Rhinos
Burrow passed away on Sunday aged 41 after a four-and-a-half-year battle with MND
As well as the moments of silence and applause, players will wear black armbands and there are plans to lay floral tributes by the rugby league statute outside Wembley.
Burrow’s old club Leeds will contest Saturday’s women’s final against St Helens, before the men’s match between Wigan and Warrington.
Rhinos centre Caitlin Beevers said: ‘As a club, we are devastated. We have got a job to do on Saturday but he will definitely be in our minds.
‘I grew up watching the golden era and he was someone I inspired to be. In the early stages of my Leeds career, he talked to me many times at training.
‘On and off the field, he was just a great man. I think naming a stand after Rob would be a good call.
‘He holds such a place in Leeds Rhinos and rugby league hearts that he has got to be commemorated.’
In 2021, Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington announced they would build a statue of Burrow and Sinfield embracing as they ‘perfectly encapsulate everything we hold special about rugby league’.
On Monday a pre-planned ceremony took place to mark the groundbreaking of the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease at Seacroft Hospital in Leeds.
Leeds Rhinos are set to honour Burrow with a statue that has already been commissioned
Kevin Sinfield said that Burrow’s death will leave a massive hole and added that he wishes he could have seen the outpouring of love
Burrow’s father Geoff was one of six people to put the first spades in the ground and said: ‘It’s amazing what a little man can achieve.’
His mother Irene added: ‘This is what Rob would want and I think he’d be proud that we all pulled ourselves together and got the strength to come. He’ll be looking down on us and he’ll be going ‘thumbs up’.’
Burrow’s friend Sinfield, whose incredible fundraising efforts helped pay for the Rob Burrow Centre, also attended the ceremony. Fighting back tears, he said: ‘You can see it is pretty raw still.
‘We all lose special people but it is very, very rare that you lose someone who is so special to so many people.
‘He leaves a massive hole and there will be a lot of people who are heartbroken at the news. I wish he could have seen the outpouring of love.’
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