Ed Slater: Kevin Sinfield hails MND fund-raising lock as "another champion"
- Published
A series of further events will follow in support of the 4Ed campaign set up by Slater and Gloucester
Kevin Sinfield hailed Ed Slater as "another champion from the sport of rugby" following day one of his Motor Neurone Disease fund-raiser.
Lock forward Slater, 33, retired from playing last month after being diagnosed with MND.
He cycled from Gloucester to Leicester on Monday at the start of a three-day 350-mile ride to raise research funds.
"We should celebrate what a wonderful thing he's doing," Sinfield told BBC Radio Leicester.
"The fact that Ed is taking part and wants to be front and centre, former team-mates have jumped on board and it just shows what rugby does, it looks after its own and it's outstanding what they are doing."
Leicester Tigers defence coach Sinfield has raised millions for Motor Neurone Disease research himself, inspired by the story of former Leeds Rhinos team-mate Rob Burrow, who was diagnosed with the condition in 2019.
Last year, Sinfield ran 101 miles in 24 hours from Leicester's Mattioli Woods Welford Road ground to Headingley Stadium in Leeds.
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Slater spent seven years with the Tigers, winning the Premiership title in 2013, before joining Gloucester in 2017 and he played the last of 78 games for the Cherry and Whites in January.
Day two of his ride, accompanied by former team-mates including Lewis Ludow, Fraser Balmain and Billy Twelvetrees and friends, will take him to Twickenham via Milton Keynes, where he first played club rugby.
Wednesday's final leg will cover the 106 miles back from Twickenham to Gloucester's Kingsholm stadium.
"I didn't know what to expect yesterday. It was difficult but I enjoyed it thoroughly and group is amazing," he told BBC Breakfast before setting off from Leicester.
"Again, there's a little bit of fear factor in there but we'll grind through. You just put your head down, keep turning your legs and we'll get there eventually."
He added: "I hadn't met Kev before, and for him to come and speak to me yesterday was huge because I look up to him and I think he's done an amazing job.
"If I can even do a fraction of what Kev Sinfield's done, then I'll have achieved something."
MND is a degenerative condition that affects nerves in the brain and spinal cord.
Scotland rugby union lock Doddie Weir and former footballers Stephen Darby and Len Johnrose have also been diagnosed with MND in recent years and have also been actively campaigning to raise awareness of the disease.