Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Robert Geoffrey Burrow[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Pontefract, West Yorkshire, England | 26 September 1982||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | 2 June 2024 Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England | (aged 41)||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 5 in (165 cm)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 10 st 6 lb (66 kg)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Scrum-half, Hooker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Robert Geoffrey Burrow CBE (26 September 1982 – 2 June 2024) was an English professional rugby league footballer who played as a scrum-half or hooker. Burrow spent his entire professional career with the Leeds Rhinos, making nearly 500 appearances as well as representing Great Britain, England, and Yorkshire.
At 5 ft 5 in (165 cm) tall and weighing 66 kg (146 lb), Burrow was known for many years as "the smallest player in Super League". Despite this, he was one of the most successful players in the competition's history, winning eight Super League championships, two Challenge Cups, being named to the Super League Dream Team on three occasions and winning the Harry Sunderland Trophy twice.
In December 2019, Burrow was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND).[6] Following his diagnosis, Burrow raised awareness for MND with fellow player Kevin Sinfield. Both were awarded CBEs in 2024 because of their efforts in raising funds and awareness of the disease. On 2 June 2024, Leeds Rhinos announced that Burrow had died from MND, aged 41.[7][8][9]