By PHIL CAPLAN
IT WAS a truly special night, around 18,500 people packed into a glorious, sun-drenched AMT Headingley – summer rugby at its finest.
Leeds, in their specially designed cornflower-coloured shirts – a symbol of motor neurone disease because of its fragile appearance but hardy nature – putting on a show on and off the field to maintain their grasp on the competition summit while simultaneously honouring Rob Burrow, Jai Arrow – a former teammate of Kallum Watkins and Keenan Palasia – and the MND community in their annual awareness game, a tenner from the sale of every replica shirt donated to the Leeds Hospitals Charity.
The club do such nights in their imperious setting magnificently, tributes to Rob’s life, his legacy and the continued fight against the disease beginning half an hour before kick off.
The hugely emotional pre-match build-up concluded with a live performance from home favourite ‘Opera Man’ John Innes as the players entered the field.
Part way through him singing signature tune “Nessun Dorma”, huge flags were raised on the North Stand commemorating Rob and the cameras featuring on his mum Irene, who also recently lost her campaigning husband Geoff.
With barely a dry eye in the house from both sets of fans, Rob and Lindsey’s children, Maya, Macy and Jackson, delivered the match ball to referee Chris Kendall.
Rhinos’ head coach Brad Arthur asked his players to be brave like Rob, his family and the MND community in their approach and performance and, with Jake Connor and Mikolaj Oledzki leading the way, they were, again dominating the defending champions – just as they had in Las Vegas – to convincingly win 34-8 over Hull KR.
For Ryan Hall, who toured the Rob Burrow MND Centre leading up to the game, it was all somewhat bittersweet.
The veteran Leeds winger, who made 81 metres from 14 carries on a sticky night, was shown round the complex by Dr Agam Young, founder director of the centre and a leading consultant neurologist specialising in the diagnosis, assessment and treatment of a wide range of conditions.
“It’s not a great reason why we are here,” he reflected of the surroundings. “I’d rather not be, but you have to try and make the best of it under the circumstances.
“What’s happened to Rob has had a lasting effect on us, when you look at the pictures of what he used to do to defenders, it’s been taken away from us and his family.
“It’s really good to walk inside something physical now that was once just an idea – a far fetched one.
“But the dedication and fund raising some good friends of mine have done to make this possible, it’s good to see the results of their efforts.”
There’s a further link between Hall and the disease, his mother-in-law Linda Tuttle was the lead nurse for MND sufferers at Leeds General Infirmary, before such beautifully designed and equipped, high ceilinged, light infused, bespoke facilities were available to sufferers and their families.
“I knew all about it, I go back a long way with it,” said Hall in the building’s atrium, adorned with pictures and a painting of Rob, inevitably also incorporating now Sir Kevin Sinfield.
“Dr Agam has led the way on what a patient needs, everything has been thought of, she’s experienced the full spectrum of reactions when people get diagnosed.
“She used the phrase on the tour round, ‘a conversation rather than a consultation’ and it’s designed not to look like a hospital.
“We’re so proud of Kev. It was a privilege to play alongside him. I should have paid for that rather than be paid. He’s finally got the wider recognition he deserves.
“There’s integrity in everything he’s done, be that as the Rhinos’ captain or what he’s doing now. Everything with the best of intentions.”
Asked if he felt any greater pressure to win wearing such a special shirt on such a significant occasion, Hall noted: “It’s hard to know. Your will to win is always high, that’s why we’re professional athletes, but there’s certainly more in the week leading up to the game about why you’re wearing it and for who and the memories behind them.
“You just try and take a little bit of Rob and Kev on the field with you. There is a little bit extra, again making the best of a bad situation.”
Inevitably, on a weekend where he didn’t score – Leeds again peppering the right instead where Maika Sivo took his season tally to 29, a scorer in nine successive Rhinos games – but Josh Charnley notched four tries for Leigh in Toulouse to head the Super League record standings by five, Hall played down their race.
“It is a battle if you look at the numbers,” Hall said, a subject he is an expert on, having given up a maths degree at university to pursue a career in professional sport.
“We play in a team sport so individual accolades don’t really mean much. Good luck to him, it’s about time he went ahead – I hope people stop talking to me about it.”
Rob always said similar when asked about his prowess.
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