Details of Rob Burrow's funeral announced by Leeds Rhinos including date and cortege route

The service will take place on Sunday, July 7, the date the club annually celebrates ‘Rob Burrow Day’, because of the iconic number seven jersey worn by during his illustrious playing career. The funeral will be for invited guests only, but members of the public are invited to stand on the roadside to pay their respects as the cortege makes its way to Pontefract Crematorium.

Members of the public are asked to be in position from 1pm. The cortege will travel along the A656 (Park Road) passing the Xscape leisure complex on their right as it travels towards the M62 junction. The cars will continue along the A639 towards Pontefract passing Pontefract Racecourse before turning onto Park Lane (B6134) near Pontefract Tanshelf train station.

The cortege will follow along Ackton Lane into Ackton before turning left onto Sewerbridge Lane and Common Side Lane (B6133) heading towards Featherstone. At the War Horse sculpture the cars will turn left, slowing at Featherstone Lions amateur rugby league club’s ground on Wakefield Road (A645).

The cortege will slow again as it passes through Featherstone, close to where Burrow played his junior rugby. The cars will continue along Pontefract Lane, but the club have asked members of the public to leave this part of the journey private so the family can have a few moments to themselves before arriving at the crematorium.

A Rhinos statement said: “Entry to the crematorium and service will be for invited guests only and the purpose of publishing the route is to give the public the chance to pay their respects before allowing Rob’s family and friends to grieve his loss in private. We hope everyone can respect these wishes. There will be no live streaming of the service. “

Leeds City Council and the Lord Mayor of Leeds will host an invite-only civic reception in honour of Burrow on Friday, July 12 at 11am, which will be live-streamed with links published nearer the time. The family have politely asked that members of the public not to send flowers. Donation can be made to support Burrow’s family directly here and for the Leeds Hospitals Charity appeal to build the Rob Burrow Centre for MND via this link.