Luke Gale did not have to think twice about lacing back on his boots at Headingley on Sunday in honour of the man who denied him a dream career with his home-city club.
Gale came through the junior ranks at Leeds Rhinos but quickly realised his first-team chances were numbered behind the club’s all-conquering half-back duo of Rob Burrow and Danny McGuire.
The 36-year-old instead went on to scoop the Super League Man of Steel award with Castleford in 2017 before briefly returning to Leeds to lead them to their 2020 Challenge Cup final win over Salford at Wembley.
Gale said: “I was an academy junior at Leeds. I came through and did one pre-season, but Rob and Danny were just starting their careers and I knew from early on that I would have to make my Super League debut away from those two.
“As it transpired, they went on to be one of the greatest half-back pairings in the Super League era. Rob scored so many great tries, in so many big games as well.
“When I came back and got the chance to play number seven and Rob got his illness, I remember he gave us our shirts for the Challenge Cup final in 2020. I still have that number seven shirt hung up in my wardrobe. It’s one that holds a great place for me, and I won’t ever let it go.”
Gale could belatedly get the chance to team up with McGuire in the halves in the ‘745 Game’ – named in honour of the shirt numbers worn by Burrow, former England rugby union star Ed Slater and Scotland great Doddie Weir – which will be played under a series of unique cross-code rules in aid of research into Motor Neurone Disease.
“I am only coming out of retirement for this game,” confirmed Gale, whose last act of an illustrious career was helping Wakefield reclaim their top-flight status at the first attempt last season, and where he will imminently take up a new role as the club’s academy coach.
“Phil (Daly, Rhinos’ media manager) rang me two months ago about this hybrid game and said Danny McGuire would be my half-back partner and that was an easy sell.
“I never got chance to play with Danny so straight away I said I’d do it. There’s been some momentum building and it sounds like it’s going to be a great day.
Rob has done so much for this club, for our game and for MND. He didn’t have to be so open about it, but the way he has gone about it, it’s everything he was as a player
“Rob has done so much for this club, for our game and for MND. He didn’t have to be so open about it, but the way he has gone about it, it’s everything he was as a player.”
League players Keith Senior and Adrian Morley are among those also featuring in the fixture, along with ex-England rugby union internationals Billy Twelvetrees, Tom Youngs and Danny Cipriani, who is flying in from his home in Los Angeles in honour of his former international team-mate Slater, who was diagnosed with the condition in 2022.
“Danny Cipriani would never have put his boots on again if it wasn’t for the phone call from Ed,” added Gale. “That’s why there’s so many great players willing to play, in so many different shapes and sizes.
“Everything you’ve done in your career, the best memories you have are through team-mates. It’s why it’s brought so many people together from different codes. It’s what our game is based on, the mates you’ve had and the friendships you build.”
