Wigan Warriors icon blasts rugby league’s knighthood snub after latest Kevin Sinfield omission

The Leeds Rhinos icon was missing from The King’s New Year’s Honours List, despite growing calls after his incredible fundraising efforts for Motor Neurone Disease, with more than £10million raised for the MND community in aid of his late friend and team-mate, Rob Burrow.

Sinfield completed his latest ‘7 in 7 challenge’ in December, running more than 230 miles in seven days and raising more than £1.2million.

Having received a CBE in last year’s list, it has been reported that a recipient of an honour cannot have it upgraded within a three-year period, but that hasn’t stopped calls to recognise the former England captain with the highest honour on offer.

Robinson, who himself is an OBE and enjoyed an illustrious career with Wigan before a cross-code switch, is among those stunned by the latest omission - with not a single rugby league player in history having ever received a Knighthood. He told the Daily Mirror: “The fact no one in rugby league has a knighthood is ridiculous.

“When you look at some of the players over the years who have not just been the best rugby league players in the world but the best rugby players. There’s guys like Billy Boston, who had so many records, and then people like Alex Murphy or, from my era, Ellery Hanley.

“There certainly should have been some rugby league knighthoods by now. You can also look at the likes of Andy Farrell and Shaun Edwards, who have done so many amazing things in union since moving over yet probably wouldn’t get the same recognition as a union counterpart.”

Four rugby league figures were recognised in the King’s New Year’s Honours List, including Huddersfield Giants owner Ken Davy and his Leeds Rhinos counterpart Paul Caddick, with an OBE and MBE respectively.

Long-serving match official Tony Martin was also awarded with an OBE, and legendary women’s player Andrea Dobson an MBE, for services to rugby league.

And 2003 England rugby union World Cup winner Robinson believes a Knighthood will come one day for Sinfield, with praise for the former Leeds Rhinos captain’s efforts on and off the field.

“What Kevin has done over the years has been phenomenal, no doubt about it,” said the Wigan Warriors icon.

“And it’s gone way beyond rugby. As a player he was undoubtedly one of the best. But that relationship with Rob and what he’s done for the MND community, raising money and helping others who don’t have the same voice, continuing that for Rob, is just amazing.

"He's a remarkable human being and has created such a legacy.

“I do think it [a knighthood] will happen at some point. It’s inevitable. Life’s not always fair. But sometimes you think surely there has to be that recognition, whether for an outstanding career or for that charity work. As much as people try and hold us all back, we’ll still make it."