Leeds Rhinos make £20,000 donation to the RL Benevolent Fund’s support of Hull KR’s Mose Masoe

The club pledged to donate proceeds from 25 per cent of tickets sold for their home Betfred Super League meeting against Rovers to help the Samoan prop who suffered a serious spinal injury in January.

But Leeds also held collections among their fans and in corporate areas during February’s game.

Moreover, they received further generous donations from their own squad and numerous other members of the club’s non-playing staff, in addition to the Leeds Players’ Association, and Leeds Rhinos Foundation.

Rhinos legend Rob Burrow, who is fighting his own battle with motor neurone disease, has also made a donation from the proceeds of his Gala Dinner.

With the Leeds club topping up the total to £20,000, it takes the Benevolent Fund’s appeal for support for Masoe and his family into six figures.

The ex-St Helens front-row, who had to retire after being temporarily paralysed following the incident in a pre-season game at Wakefield Trinity, is continuing his recovery in the spinal unit of Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield.

Masoe is now walking again with the aid of crutches and he continues to show remarkable courage and resilience. Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington said: “In these unprecedented times for the country, it’s important we don’t forget the battles Mose Masoe and Rob Burrow were already facing.

“As we said before Hull KR came to Emerald Headingley in February, we wanted to give our supporters and staff the chance to show their support to Mose – and now we want to thank them for such a generous response.

“That generosity came not only from the supporters of both teams who came on the night, but also from our corporate guests, and from the Players’ Association and the Leeds Rhinos Foundation – and our players and non-rugby staff also wanted to show their support.

“It was a typically generous gesture also from Rob Burrow to think of Mose at the Gala Dinner that was arranged to support his own family.

“That means we are able to make a substantial donation to the Benevolent Fund, who do such a great job for the game under the leadership of Steve Ball. And it goes without saying that we also send our very best wishes to Mose and his family.”

Rugby League Benevolent Fund general manager Steve Ball said: “I have talked in a couple of interviews this week about Rugby League values – and this is a great example. I’d like to thank the Leeds club for allowing all the supporters who came to the game against Rovers to show their support for Mose and his family.

“I can assure them it will be massively appreciated, and will make a big difference.”

Hull KR chairman Neil Hudgell added: “This is a fantastic gesture from Leeds and their supporters.

“We may be rivals on the pitch, but this sort of thing shows the game of Rugby League at its best.”