Challenge Cup day chance 'to do Burrow justice'

Rob Burrow (right, holding trophy) won the Challenge Cup twice with Leeds Rhinos - in 2014 and 2015

A bumper Challenge Cup final weekend is the perfect opportunity to pay tribute to the late Rob Burrow, Warrington Wolves head coach Sam Burgess has said.

Having battled motor neurone disease (MND) since 2019, rugby league legend Burrow, an ex-England team-mate of Burgess, died at the age of 41 on Sunday.

Warrington's Challenge Cup trophy match against Wigan is the second match of a triple-header at Wembley on Saturday, following the Women's Challenge Cup final and preceding the 1895 Cup final.

"Hopefully we can sell the place out and really celebrate the life of Rob Burrow," Burgess told BBC Sport.

"If you could pin down a week in the calendar - it's fitting that it's on the big stage at Wembley.

"All [his] achievements, not just on the field but off the field, hopefully we can celebrate them in style with a smile on the face and remember him for what a special character he was.

"Hopefully everyone puts on a great performance. There's three great matches and [hopefully] we all do him justice."

Burrow, an eight-time Super League winner with his only club, Leeds Rhinos, was one of the most successful rugby league players in history and was made an MBE in the 2021 New Year Honours for services to sport and the MND community.

He was later made a CBE in the 2024 New Year Honours alongside his friend and former Leeds team-mate Kevin Sinfield for the sheer magnitude of their fundraising efforts.

Undeterred by his diagnosis in late 2019, Burrow blazed a trail and helped to raise more than £15m for MND charities.

Burgess is well aware of the impact the disease can have on a family.

"We all know the end result with motor neurone disease," the 35-year-old Burgess said.

"It doesn't really discriminate. It's really aggressive. We know as a family first-hand exactly what it's like.

"We lost our father [to MND] in 2007. It's a real pivotal time in your life when you're managing that as a family.

"No doubt Lindsey and Rob's beautiful three children are reflecting on that time for them as a family."

Wigan captain Liam Farrell also played alongside Burrow for England and agrees with Burgess that the weekend offers an opportunity to pay tribute.

Despite the sport losing a figurehead in Burrow, Farrell believes that his legacy will remain and a huge day at Wembley is the first opportunity for that to take hold.

"We've got an iconic week of rugby league coming up and we're talking about an iconic player," Farrell told BBC Radio Manchester.

"I've always said, playing against anyone on the field, I'd rather have the biggest player run at me than Rob Burrow.

"It's very sad news but also we will make sure we remember a legend this week."

Sinfield, who Burrow first met when he was 12 years old, has completed several endurance challenges which have raised more than £7m and been featured in two BBC documentaries.

"He was so brave, so tough. I wish he could have seen the outpouring of love," Sinfield told BBC Sport.

"We all lose special people. But it's very rare you lose someone who's so special to so many different people.

"What's really important is that Rob Burrow continues to live forever and I'm sure the MND community, and everyone who's supported us previously, will make sure that Rob's name is at the forefront of everything we do going forward."