AUCKLAND — England assistant coach Kevin Sinfield will exit the current tour of New Zealand temporarily on compassionate leave to fly home for Rob Burrow’s funeral.
Sinfield saw his old playing partner at Leeds Rhinos three days before Burrow passed away on 2 June, aged 41, after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2019.
The 43-year-old, who has raised more than £7m for MND causes with a series of ultra running challenges, will head home next Friday and miss the first Test in Dunedin against the All Blacks on 6 July.
But Sinfield will be back in Auckland after a round-the-world trip to prepare the side for the clash at Eden Park on 13 July having attended the service in Pontefract next Sunday.
In the team hotel on Friday, Sinfield detailed the last time he saw his old friend and admitted he wished he had been to more of the celebrations of Burrow’s life put on at various sporting events.
He also revealed his gratitude to head coach Steve Borthwick, and the entire England staff and playing squad, for putting their arm round his shoulder on the tour to Japan and New Zealand.
“I’ll be home for two days then I’ll be back out here getting ready for the second Test,” Sinfield said.
“Steve has been wonderfully supportive of that. Apart from being at home with family this is probably the best place for me to be.
“Rob would want me to be here and be part of this. He would want me to try and be supporting the guys.”
Sinfield went to see Burrow shortly before his passing and the day after his death was helping open the building works for the Rob Burrow Centre for MND in Leeds. Later that afternoon he was on his way into England training.
“That weekend was tough,” Sinfield added. “I got to see him on the Thursday before he passed. We had broken from camp, and I knew he was poorly, but I walked in to see him and I got a big smile off him which was brilliant.
“Rob passed on a Sunday afternoon and on Monday we were in camp before we came out to Japan. At that point you want to be with family and friends and on Monday morning before I travelled down to Pennyhill I was at the site where the Rob Burrow MND Centre is going to be. They put the first spade in the ground, and his mum and dad were there and his sisters.
“There are a lot of things I have missed over the last few weeks. We were at the Premiership final, where they did a wonderful job with the tribute to Rob, and the FA did a wonderful job earlier that week. Then the Challenge Cup final goes ahead and there was a big tribute. There was a big tribute last week at the Rhinos game, there was an MND round in Super League. There are some bits I would like to have been there to witness.”
Although his future is uncertain, Sinfield is a significant and popular figure in the current England set-up. And he revealed being on the trip to Japan and New Zealand has helped him as he attempts to get to terms with Burrow’s premature passing.
He added. “It’s been really good to get away and get some time to reflect. The lads have been fantastic throughout my time working with them… they’ve shown compassion and care for me that won’t go unnoticed.”
Burrow’s funeral is limited to 100 people, but Sinfield expects there to be crowds around the crematorium as fans and admirers pay their respects.
“It’s a private ceremony with family and friends,” he said. “People might know where it is and come and stand outside, but there’s only about 100 people who have been asked to attend. The rest will be asked to line the streets, which I’m sure they will.”