‘He was a special bloke’ - Dewsbury Rams head coach pays tribute to Leeds Rhinos legend Rob Burrow
Dewsbury Rams’ head coach Paul March has described Rob Burrow as a “special bloke” after the Leeds Rhinos legend passed away last weekend.
The Headingley club announced on Sunday that Burrow had passed away peacefully at Pinderfields Hospital after being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in December 2019.
Praising Burrow’s “special” on-field talents, March said:
“There has been so much support from the rugby league family since his diagnosis to now. He was a special bloke. I played against him many times. He could do stuff on the field that other players couldn’t.
“A couple of players who I have played against come to mind, Jason Robinson is one of them, and Rob Burrow is someone who was quick on their feet and when they are running that quick and can side step it puts you under pressure. He was certainly one of them.
“It’s been a sad time for everyone around him. It is sad for rugby league.”
Paying tribute to the rugby league family, March, who was player-coach at Keighley Cougars when Danny Jones tragically passed away in 2015 after collapsing in a game at London Skolars, said:
“Sad occasions bring everybody together. I was coach at Keighley when Danny Jones passed away and everybody rallied round and did what they needed for Lizzie and the twins and I’m sure everybody will do the same for Lindsey and Rob’s kids as well.
“He has got a good mate in Kevin (Sinfield) who has done a lot for them and for MND. Hopefully all that can continue. He is a legend anyway so his legacy is going to be carrying on.”
March’s Rams side have a weekend off as Wakefield Trinity and Sheffield Eagles face each other in the 1895 Cup final on Saturday (kick off 5.45pm) at Wembley, straight after the prestigious Challenge Cup final between Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves (kick off 3pm).
And the RFL have confirmed that there will be plans to honour Burrow at the three-game event, which also sees the women’s Challenge Cup final kick off at 11.45am.
In all three games there will be a minute’s applause in the seventh minute - Burrow, who won the Challenge Cup twice with Leeds at the national stadium, famously wore the club’s number 7 shirt.
Commenting on the break for his side, which comes after four defeats against sides in the Championship’s top five, March said:
“It has come at a good time. We have just come off the back of four tough games. I do think that we are heading in the right direction even though the results haven’t said that.
“We have got a big test coming up in two weeks’ time against York and if we want to try clawing back to teams around us it is a must win for us.
“It will be a different pressure for us. The last four games we could just go out there and play freely and see what we can get. Next week, it is not about the performance, it is about getting the two points.”