Sir Kevin Sinfield is set to assume the honour of presenting the Super League Grand Final match ball for what will be his seventh and final challenge in the series of ultra‑marathon runs he has undertaken to support the motor neurone disease (MND) community. The ceremony will take place at Old Trafford on 3 October, live on Sky Sports, and will serve as a poignant book‑end to a campaign that has seen Sinfield traverse the length and breadth of England’s rugby league heartland.
The former Leeds Rhinos and England captain has become synonymous with charitable endurance feats since he launched his first run in 2020. Over the past three years his team has raised more than £11 million for organisations that support those living with MND across the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. This year’s endeavour pushes the limits even further: Sinfield will complete an ultra‑marathon each day for a full week, covering a different venue on each of the 12 English Super League club grounds before culminating at the iconic Theatre of Dreams. The journey begins on Sunday 27 September at the home of Hull Kingston Rovers, the reigning world‑club champions.
From there Sinfield will move on to the stadiums of the remaining Super League clubs, spending a full day at each location. The itinerary is designed not only to raise funds but also to bring the cause directly to the fans who have backed his efforts from the very start. By the time he reaches Old Trafford on Saturday 3 October, the final leg of the challenge will have been completed and the match ball will be in his hands, ready to be handed over to the players who will contest the season‑ending showdown. For Sinfield, the symbolism of this last run is deeply personal.
It represents a return "home" to the rugby league community that has supported him and his teammate Rob Burrow throughout their battle with MND. Burrow, a former Leeds legend, famously scored what many consider the greatest Grand Final try in the sport’s history back in 2011, when he crossed the line at Old Trafford against St Helens. Sinfield reflected on that moment, saying, "I think it’s nice to bring it back home to the rugby league community.
This is where it all started for Rob." The choice of Old Trafford as the final destination therefore carries a dual significance: it is both the site of Burrow’s iconic try and the venue where the league’s most coveted prize will be awarded. In a conversation with Sky Sports, Sinfield explained why the final leg holds particular resonance: "To visit some venues where he terrorised opponents is particularly special and to finish at Old Trafford is great. Rob scored, in my opinion, the greatest Super League try, greatest Grand Final try ever. He won eight Grand Finals.
To get a chance to visit some places that I know very well, where the support has been awesome over the last six years, I am looking forward to it." He also recalled the atmosphere at Old Trafford during the Rugby League World Cup final in 2022, noting that the crowd’s enthusiasm was immense even though England were not playing. "We were all hoping and expecting, so it doesn’t matter which teams are in the final.
I think the love for Rob, the support, the love for the MND community will shine through and I am incredibly proud of the way rugby league has come together again and continues to do, to look after it’s own, and it will be a really special night," he added. Rhodri Jones, the commercial managing director of RL and interim chief executive of the RFL, praised Sinfield’s contribution: "Sir Kevin is one of the most iconic names in Super League history. He is synonymous with Grand Final night and his remarkable endeavours, all those epic running challenges we have seen over the years in support of his great friend Rob Burrow and the MND community, remain an inspiration to us all. As a competition, we are delighted he’s now bringing the ball to the centre stage at Old Trafford ready for the biggest 80 minutes of the season when everything is on the line and the latest Betfred Super League champions are crowned.
The whole sport of rugby league wishes Sir Kevin and all his team the very best on what promises to be yet another arduous and challenging seven days." The fundraising drive will benefit six charities: the MND Association, Leeds Hospitals Charity, My Name5 Doddie Foundation, Darby Rimmer Foundation, MND Scotland and the Irish MND Association. A dedicated donation page has been set up for supporters to contribute directly to the cause. The Super League play‑offs, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, kick off on Friday 18 September with Wakefield Trinity hosting Leigh Leopards at 8 pm. The following day sees Warrington Wolves take on Hull KR at 5:30 pm.
The semi‑finals are scheduled for Friday 25 September (Leeds Rhinos versus a to‑be‑determined opponent) and Saturday 26 September (Wigan Warriors versus a to‑be‑determined opponent). The culmination of the season, the Grand Final, will be staged at Old Trafford on 3 October, where Sinfield will hand the ball to the players, marking the end of an extraordinary charitable campaign and the beginning of another chapter in Super League history.