A HAPPY New Year to all our readers and to everyone involved in Rugby League at all levels of the game, whether players, match officials, club officials or spectators, either live or on television.
And can I offer particularly warm good wishes to Kevin Sinfield and Rob Burrow, who have been awarded CBEs, and to former RFL CEO Ralph Rimmer, who has been awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours List.
Plenty of people have made it clear that they believe that Rob and Kevin should have been awarded knighthoods, and I sympathise with that view, but at least they have both been recognised for having achieved so much for the MND cause. They have raised many millions of pounds and they have generated huge publicity for research into and the treatment of this terrible disease.
Then we have Ralph Rimmer’s award, which some people will no doubt criticise without knowing how hard he worked while he headed the RFL.
Ralph was unfortunate in one sense, in that his tenure had hardly started before the Covid pandemic intervened and in my view his greatest achievement was to gain the financial support of government that allowed our major clubs to cope with their financial liabilities during a period in which they were unable to generate any income.
It is very easy to underestimate the nature of that achievement.
Indeed I would concur with the comments of Simon Johnson, the chair of the RFL, about all three recipients, when he said: “On behalf of the whole Rugby League family, I extent my warmest congratulations to Rob, Ralph and Kevin for these richly deserved awards.
“The way in which Rob has responded to his MND diagnosis, with the support of his remarkable family, has been a national inspiration.
“So, too, has the incredible friendship demonstrated by Kevin Sinfield throughout the last four years.
“The sport of Rugby League could have no better ambassadors, underlining the special bonds that are forged by team-mates, in this case in so many successful seasons with Leeds Rhinos.”
There isn’t much more that can be said about Rob and Kevin.
The best way to acknowledge their achievement is to contribute to their cause. His latest challenge has raised almost £1.1 million and you can help it reach that figure by going to www.donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/kevin-sinfield and making a contribution.
That would be a great way to start the New Year.
