Rugby league legend and veteran broadcaster John Kear has passed away at the age of 71. The former England, France and Wales coach died suddenly on Sunday after returning from calling the Wigan Warriors’ victory at Wembley in the Challenge Cup, a tournament he won twice as a coach.
A Storied Career
The champion former coach took charge of nine clubs across a career that spanned more than 700 games, including the Sheffield Eagles’ shock 1998 Challenge Cup victory, before repeating the feat with Hull FC in 2005. Kear played 133 games as an outside back for Castleford between 1978 and 1988 before embarking on a coaching journey that only concluded last year.
RFL Pays Tribute
In a statement, the Rugby Football League said: “The RFL today pays tribute to John Kear, who died suddenly on Sunday afternoon returning north from Wembley, having been part of the BBC’s commentary team for the Betfred Challenge Cup finals the previous day.”
RFL chair Nigel Wood added his own tribute, highlighting Kear’s significant contribution to the sport. “On behalf of the whole sport, our thoughts and condolences are with John’s wife Dawn, his family and with those who played or worked alongside him over the last 50 years,” Wood said.
“Having had a 10-year career at Castleford, he found his passion for coaching which saw him oversee more than 700 games across a career which included coaching England in the 2000 World Cup, Wales in the 2017 and 2021 World Cup, oversaw Challenge Cup victories at Sheffield Eagles and Hull FC, and most recently took Batley Bulldogs to the Championship Grand Final.
“But John was also an excellent broadcast summariser with a great turn of phrase and an undiluted love and positivity for the sport.
“It was always a pleasure to see John, at Wakefield Trinity games most recently, as he was full of energy and enthusiasm for the game he clearly loved and had given him so much, in the same way he had given back.”
Kear’s sudden passing has left the rugby league community in mourning, remembering a man who dedicated his life to the sport both on and off the field.
