Rugby legend Kevin Sinfield given honorary degree

Kevin Sinfield said he would be "forever grateful" for the honour

Rugby league legend Kevin Sinfield has been awarded an honorary degree by the University of Leeds.

The former Leeds Rhinos player was awarded his degree, becoming a Doctor of Laws, at the university's Great Hall on Wednesday afternoon.

Sinfield, 43, was appointed CBE in the New Year Honours for the charity work he did for motor neurone disease (MND) with his friend and former teammate Rob Burrow.

Sinfield told the ceremony Burrow had "inspired and influenced people all over the world".

Together, they raised more than £15m for MND before Burrow died in June, aged 41, after being diagnosed with the condition in 2019.

Playing alongside each other from 2001 to 2015, Burrow and Sinfield won seven Grand Finals, two Challenge Cup Finals at Wembley and three World Club titles.

"Rob inspired me to be a better person, a better friend, to be more kind, to think of others," said Sinfield.

"By doing this amazing things happen, life becomes so much more fulfilling and special."

Sinfield (right) raised more than £15m for MND with his friend and former teammate Rob Burrow, who died in May

Sinfield is currently a defence coach for the England national team and recently flew back from New Zealand for just 48 hours so he could attend his friend's funeral, missing England's first Test against the All Blacks.

He was among 161 guests invited to the private service at Pontefract Crematorium on 7 July.

Sinfield has completed a series of epic endurance challenges, including a fundraiser last year which saw him complete seven ultra marathons over seven days.

His target in that challenge was to raise £77,777, but thousands of donations helped him to reach £2.7m.

In 2015, Sinfield received a masters in Sports Business from Leeds Beckett University, which he completed after studying part-time while playing rugby full-time.

According to the University of Leeds, a Doctor of Laws is a higher doctorate awarded to people who have "distinguished themselves by their original contributions to scholarship by means of a substantial and sustained contribution which has led to international recognition".

Sinfield said he would be "forever grateful" for the honour and that attending the ceremony had been "incredibly humbling".

Shortly before receiving a standing ovation for his speech, he told the audience: "To the class of 2024, I wish you all a fulfilled life full of happiness and love."

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