Why I am running the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon

I have spent a large part of the weekend reflecting on the terribly sad passing of the man mountain or ‘mad giraffe'?#DoddieWeir. I never new him, but I did have the fortunate pleasure to meet him at?#MelroseRugbyClub?when on tour with?#OtleyRugbyClub?aged just 17, an encounter I have never forgotten, he was humble enough to engage me in a conversation about the game we had just played, and won to that matter, while I stood in awe at the sheer size of the man, just after he ducked under a door frame in the club house – what was obvious is that he had time for everyone spending his time walking the bar, this was a moment that my team mates that chatted to him as well will have never forgotten.?

Rugby (both Union and League) have been my passion from the age of 6 both as a player and now as a supporter, it is a game I love and even now just getting a ball in my hands gets me excited. When I started there was little thought to head injury, we played full contact and took many knocks, I personally remember a couple of moments where I had concussion. The first aged 11 while we played mixed age groups (11-13 year olds - Obviously you can't do this today) this blonde haired, at the time seemed like a beast of a man, picked up from No8 5 yards out, I was playing 7, he came fast of the back of the scrum legs pumping and knees high I went to make the tackle but took one of those massive sprinter knees to the head…… The next thing I remember is being in the locker rooms, 45 minutes later, as I write this now I struggle to comprehend the approach we had back then, but we knew nothing different so I played that weekend and carried on. A similar incident happened when I was 17 we had just won a game when one of my team mates asked what the score was and to get ready for the second half, clearly we now this was concussion, but we all laughed and joked at the time, ultimately going out for the whole night to celebrate the win…

These moments are just a couple of examples of the many the knocks that we all took and continue to take for the game we love, I raise these moments in my life to explain the fact that rugby is a contact sport and bangs to the head happen all the time, the higher up the ladder you go the bigger and harder the knocks get. Having grown up playing Rugby Union at all levels from Junior, School and Club both as an amateur and during the transition to professional and played Rugby League at University and Club I know how those collisions changed and got bigger, luckily for me I have had no adverse effects, yet, god willing I never will.

The good news is that the rugby world in general has addressed the contact point at junior rugby and is looking at reducing contact in training but these incidents will happen at all levels. How many players, their friends, and families, of a game I love so much will have to go through such pain and destruction at an age far too young to leave this earth.?#mnd?is a death sentence that has no cure at this time, once diagnosed you are in the end of life waiting room with time just running out!! MND took the life of the South African Rugby Union super start?#JoostvanderWesthuizen?in Feb 2017 at just 45, one month before Doddie Weir was diagnosed and ultimately passed away this weekend aged just 52,?#RobBurrow?the rugby League legend of my boyhood club?#LeedsRhinos?being diagnosed in 2019 and moving to football?#StephenDarby?in 2018 – Also?#SteveThompson?(#englandrugby) coming forward with?#dementia?(Who knows the links between MND and dementia) and having no memory of the #WorldCupFinal…. All these athletes live for the sports they love but at what cost and how many more will come forward as they are yet to be diagnosed…. What is sad is that I would struggle to let my daughters play the game that gave me so much and so many life long friends.

Having played both Rugby Union and League I can say that the contact in League was worse when I played – one attacker colliding with 2 if not 3 defenders every time it was inevitable you would get hit in the head, it is sad to watch but Union is moving the same way under the idea of fast flowing rugby and spectator enjoyment, gone are the dark arts of the rucks and mauls, so instead of having to commit players to breakdowns (to get the side moving forward) the defenders string out across the pitch mimicking rugby league – Rugby Union was a game for all shapes and sizes when I started – it is not anymore – you now need to be big!!

The organisations that control these sports need to do more to protect players well fair and at least with this becoming headline news more people are now aware of the consequences and with referees, coaches, parents, and players looking out for it. Or should be!! I say that as we have had incidents with?#GeorgeNorth?in Rugby Union and also most recently (last week) with Iran goalkeeper?#AliBeiranvand?allowed by both doctors, officials and coaching staff to remain on the pitch despite his obvious discomfort and with the most obvious case of concussion I have ever seen – what an 'utter disgrace' when it seems from the side lines that money motivates over player welfare.

Head injuries will happen at all levels of sport where physical contact is part of the game, how we mitigate it and act swiftly when it happens is critical. Minimising the impact on teams where players have to leave the field to be checked and improving the checks that take place in the immediate aftermath of an injury, ensure that players follow back to play protocols and they are sufficiently long enough to reduce long term effects but most importantly educate players to spot it and speak up, don’t forget none of them want to come off, would you playing for your country? So it must be taken out of their hands.?

To the future of all contact sports, player safety must come before, money, sponsorship, and the result – the games future depends on our heroes living long into the future.?

I am personally affected and inspired by the impact these terribly sad stories have on the lives of those that play the sport I love. However amongst the sadness it is amazing to read abut those inspired to make a difference and no one is making a bigger impact in raising awareness than?#KevinSinfield?and his support for his mate Rob Burrow. He recently ran 7 Ultra Marathons in 7 Days finishing at Old Trafford at the Rugby League World Cup Final.

I am therefore prepared to go the extra mile and will be doing my first marathon in May 2023 - The?#Leedsmarathon?for Rob Burrow and?Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association?- times are tough for all and the cost of living crisis is really hitting everyone in the pocket but any donation no matter how small will make a difference and I thank you in advance of reading this note and donation.

The comments and opinions expressed in this post are my own and should be read as such.