For obvious reasons, this weekend’s Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon is a special event for everyone connected to Rugby League. So Rugby League Cares sends best wishes to all of the 10,000 or so runners who will be pushing themselves to the limit around Headingley on Sunday – and especially to the former Batley Bulldogs team-mates Danny Maun and Danny Thomas, who will be raising money for the Rugby League Benevolent Fund to support seriously-injured players and their families.
Maun, the Batley legend whose total of more than 250 senior appearances earned a place in the club’s Hall of Fame, will be running the Half Marathon.
And Thomas, who started his career alongside Maun at Mount Pleasant before moving on to a number of other clubs and also proudly representing his family’s Jamaican roots, will be taking on the full 26 miles – in the event that has become a mainstay of the Leeds sporting calendar since it was named after the Rhinos legend Rob Burrow in 2022.
Francis Stephenson, the General Manager of the Benevolent Fund, said:
“The Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon and Half Marathon is a wonderful event for the whole of Yorkshire and beyond, and we’re massively grateful to the two Dannys for running on behalf of the Benevolent Fund.
“It’s great when former players volunteer for the cause, because they appreciate the work we do for seriously-injured players and their families – and that is fantastic for us in terms of raising awareness, as well as raising money.
“Danny Thomas has already played a big part for us this year as he helped to train our runners in the World Coal-Carrying Championships on Easter Monday. He’s a top bloke who loves the sport and does so much to support it.
“Everyone at RL Cares wishes the best of luck to everyone involved in the Marathon and Half Marathon on Sunday, when so much money will be raised for so many worthy causes – and we’ll all remember again the great Rob Burrow, both as a brilliant rugby player and an inspirational person.
“And we hope the Rugby League community will get behind Danny and Danny, especially when they finish in familiar surroundings at Headingley.”
Danny and Danny have a Just Giving page here Team fundraising for RFL Benevolent Fund is fundraising for RFL Benevolent Fund