Leeds Rhinos legends Kevin Sinfield and Rob Burrow are set receive honours in the King’s New Years Honours list as we head into 2024.
It is quite apt that just over four years since Burrow was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, that this news should break. Both men have already received honours in the past but it is fantastic to see them recognised again.
Sinfield was awarded an MBE for his services to the sport of rugby league and has since been awarded an OBE for his efforts in raising money to fight MND. Burrow meanwhile was awarded an MBE for his courageous fight against the awful disease and the work he has also done to spread awareness and raise money in the fight against the underfunded and currently incurable illness.
Now the pair are set to receive further honours. Could they both be about to be deemed Sir Kevin and Sir Rob? For years Leeds Rhinos fans sang the name “Sir Kevin Sinfield” and that could be about to be realised.
Since Sinfield started his fundraising efforts for Rob and MND back in 2020, the cries for him to be knighted have been heightened throughout the rugby league community and far beyond.
Since he was awarded an OBE, the cries each year have been to award him with a knighthood. There has been speculation that a rule exists forcing people to wait a number of years between honours. No official rule exists however it seems to be a guideline followed.
However, Sinfield is now set to receive a further honour but that is no guarantee of a knighthood. Sinfield may instead receive a CBE.
Likewise, Burrow could receive an OBE or a CBE as part of the honours. These are the first honours from His Majesty King Charles III after the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II after which Leeds were actually the first sports team to play as they took on Catalans Dragons on the road to Old Trafford in the Super League play-offs in September 2022 paying their respects in a lovely moment of silence in France which was repeated at every Super League game afterwards.
