Rob Burrow

Robert Geoffrey Burrow (born 26 September 1982) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played as a scrum-half or hooker.

He joined Leeds Rhinos in 1999, and spent the next couple of years in the Academy ranks.

An England and Great Britain representative, he spent his entire 16-year professional career with Leeds Rhinos in the Super League, making over 400 appearances between 2001 and 2017.

At 165 cm tall and weighing less than 11 st, 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.

He made his first team debut for Leeds in April 2001, appearing as a substitute in a defeat against Hull.

He made his first start for the club a week later, scoring a try in a 6–36 defeat against Warrington Wolves.

Burrow received further first team opportunities later in the season due to an injury suffered by Leeds first-choice scrum-half, Ryan Sheridan, and had a number of impressive performances, most notably scoring two tries in a 23–18 win against reigning champions St Helens.

He was named the Super League Young Player of the Year at the end of the season.

Sheridan re-gained his place in the starting lineup for the 2002 season, with Burrow making most of his appearances from the bench.

Burrow played in his first final during the 2003 season, appearing as a substitute in the 2003 Challenge Cup final against Bradford Bulls at the Millennium Stadium, but he suffered a concussion in the first half, and took no further part in the game as Leeds went on to lose the match 20–22.

Burrow played for the Leeds Rhinos from the interchange bench in their 2004 Super League Grand Final victory against the Bradford Bulls.

As Super League IX champions, the Rhinos faced 2004 NRL season premiers, the Bulldogs in the 2005 World Club Challenge.

Burrow played from the interchange bench, scoring a try in Leeds' 39–32 victory.

He played for Leeds in the 2005 Challenge Cup Final at scrum half back in their loss against Hull FC.

Later that year he played for the Leeds Rhinos at stand-off half back in their 2005 Super League Grand Final loss against Bradford Bulls.

Burrow made his debut for Great Britain in the team's opening match of the 2005 Tri-Nations against New Zealand.

He was also in the squad for the 2006 Tri-Nations, but did not make any appearances.

He was named as Leeds Rhinos Player of the Year for his performance throughout the 2007 season, and was named in the Super League Dream Team for the same year along with teammates Scott Donald, Jamie Peacock and Gareth Ellis.

He was the winner of the Harry Sunderland Award for a man of the match performance in 2007's Super League XII Grand Final, in which Leeds defeated St. Helens by 33 points to 6.

In June 2007, Burrow was called up to the Great Britain squad for the Test match against France.

He played a pivotal role in helping Great Britain to a 3–0 victory over New Zealand in the Gillette Fusion Test series in 2007.

He was awarded the George Smith Medal as player of the series which he finished as top points scorer with 26 from two tries and nine goals.

Burrow was named in the Super League Dream Team for 2008's Super League XIII season.

He played in the 2008 Super League Grand Final victory over St. Helens.

Burrow was selected for the England squad to compete in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup tournament in Australia.

In the first Group A match against Papua New Guinea, he played at scrum half back, with England winning the game.

Burrow played in the 2009 Super League Grand Final victory over St. Helens at Old Trafford.

Burrow played in five Challenge Cup Finals in six years between 2010 and 2015, with Leeds Rhinos losing in three consecutive finals in 2010, 2011, and 2012.

Burrow also played in the 32–16 victory over St Helens in the 2011 Super League Grand Final, with his first-half try, a 50-metre solo effort, being regarded as one of the greatest tries in Grand Final history.

He won the Harry Sunderland Award for the second time when he was unanimously voted as man of the match.

He was not selected for England's post-season 2011 Four Nations campaign due to a rib injury.

At 5 ft 5 in tall, Burrow was the smallest player in the Super League for many years during his career.

He was often compared to other diminutive half-backs such as Roger Millward and Allan Langer.

He also played in the 2012 Super League Grand Final victory over the Warrington Wolves, and the 2015 Super League Grand Final victory over the Wigan Warriors.

The team then won successive finals in 2014 and 2015.

Burrow announced his retirement in 2017.

His final match was the 2017 Super League Grand Final in which he helped his club, Leeds to victory over the Castleford Tigers at Old Trafford.

In December 2019, Burrow was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND).

Born in Pontefract, Burrow played junior rugby league with Featherstone Lions.