Rugby League fans and players honour Rob Burrow ahead of the Challenge Cup final between Wigan and Warrington at Wembley following his passing at the age of 41 after a five-year battle with MND

Rugby League paid tribute to the late Rob Burrow ahead of the Challenge Cup final between Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves at Wembley on Saturday.

Burrow passed away at the age of 41 last weekend following a five-year battle with motor neurone disease (MND).

Burrow won two Challenge Cups with Leeds Rhinos during his glittering career, and ahead of Saturday’s final, both sets of players took to the pitch wearing shirts to raise awareness for MND.

Fans and players then observed a minute’s silence following an initial round of applause for the immensely popular Rugby League great.

Signs were also held up in the crowd to honour Burrow. 

Players could be seen wearing shirts to raise awareness for MND before play got underway

Signs were held up in the crowd in honour of the Rugby League legend

Burrow passed away last weekend aged 41 after a five-year battle with MND

The final then began at 3.07pm – seven minutes later than originally scheduled – in a nod to the number that Burrow wore on his shirt across his playing days from 2001 to 2017. 

Just two years after calling time on his career, Burrow was diagnosed with MND.

Following his diagnosis, Burrow – alongside his close friend and former Leeds team-mate Kevin Sinfield – raised £15m for MND charities.

Sinfield carried Burrow over the finish line in an incredibly moving moment at the inaugural Leeds Marathon last year. 

He released an emotional tribute to Burrow last Sunday, hailing his ‘little mate’ as the ‘toughest and bravest man I have ever met’.

That feeling has been shared by the rest of the Rugby League community, with thousands of fans making their way to Leeds’ home ground, Headingley, to lay down flowers and messages to the Burrow family earlier this week.

Burrow’s wife Lindsey and their three children Macy, Maya and Jackson also laid down flowers outside Headingley on Tuesday. 

Fans laid down flowers, shirts and scarves by a statue just outside Wembley Stadium

More flowers, shirts and scarves were laid by a statue just outside Wembley Stadium on Saturday prior to the Challenge Cup final. 

Football also honoured Burrow on Monday night by holding a minute’s applause before England took on Bosnia and Herzegovina at St James’ Park. 

Rugby Union followed suit, as fans stood up and applauded Burrow in the seventh minute of the Premiership final between Northampton and Bath at Twickenham on Saturday afternoon.