Rob Burrow, the legendary former Leeds Rhinos player, says he will draw inspiration from Doddie Weir's fight with motor neurone disease after being diagnosed with the incurable, muscle-wasting condition.

Burrow, at 5ft 5in the smallest player in Super League history and one its most successful with eight Grand Final wins, announced on Thursday that he was suffering from MND.

The married father-of-three, 37, said he had quickly reconciled himself to his plight and was “fine with dying” but more concerned with how his wife Lindsey and their three children would cope when he passes away. Burrow was told the news just over a week ago and close friend Kevin Sinfield, Leeds' director of rugby, arranged for him to meet Weir in Carlisle on Wednesday.

Three days earlier, Weir had been honoured with the Helen Rollason Award at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in Aberdeen. The Scottish rugby union great was diagnosed in 2016 and his charity, which seeks to aid research into the disease and improve the lives of those with MND, has since raised around £5 million.

Burrow said: “I’d seen Sports Personality of the Year and the documentary about Doddie, so we sat down on Monday and Kev said ‘we’ll get you to meet him’.  The next thing there’s a text asking about meeting on Wednesday. If I hadn’t met Doddie, I was still inspired enough to kick on, but just to ask him questions was really interesting.

“How lucky am I to be able to meet somebody who’s in the press, has just won an award on Sunday, done a documentary on it and has gone out of his way for me? It’s really humbling, along with the fact that everybody has texted me saying they will do anything for me. I can’t put it into words.”

Burrow initially thought medication for recent shoulder pain was causing him drowsiness and affecting his speech. The former scrum-half, who has been on Leeds' coaching staff since retiring from playing in 2017, was given the all clear following an MRI scan. He said:  “I was sat in the waiting room drinking free coffee and in good spirits - I was expecting to celebrate.  But on the nerve conduction test three out of four came back positive for motor neurone. The fact I thought I had the all-clear, then I found out I hadn’t.”

Burrow, a positive person by nature, has taken the news in his stride, adding: “Apart from my voice and other bits and bats with my muscles, I feel absolutely normal.  Obviously this is a big time, with people finding out, but once it dies down I am pretty keen to just get on with life.

“I’ll continue coaching to the best I can and pick the kids up from school. “The average lifespan is three years, but I’m a lot younger and older people might give up but I’m not going to give up.  I haven’t got a goal in my head but unrealistic is 10 years; realistic I think is five years.

“I’ll always remain positive, and with the support I’ve got around me how can I not be? “The worst thing for me is people pitying me. I know it’s going to come, but I want to be as normal as ever.

“I'm fine with dying, it’s not being able to watch your kids grow up so if there’s ever an incentive to be around for a while, I’ve got it.

“It's a challenge and I'm not going to lie down. I didn’t do it in rugby and I’m not going to start now.”

Like Weir and fellow MND sufferer Stephen Darby, the former footballer, Burrow will similarly seek to raise awareness of the disease through charity work.

He said: “Me talking to Doddie was amazing. Awareness is massive and in 10 years’ time they might heal somebody and find a cure.  “Life changes now and it’ll never be the same, but if can do what I can with awareness and funds then I’m massively keen to do that.”

You can donate to a fund set up to help Rob Burrow and his family at:  www.virginmoneygiving.com/ fund/robburrow