Rugby League icon John Kear “died suddenly” aged 71 on Sunday on the way back from commentating on the Challenge Cup final double-header, the Rugby Football League (RFL) has announced.
Kear, a former player, coach, and broadcaster, had a lifelong association with the sport and was part of the BBC coverage of Saturday’s Challenge Cup finals.
According to the RFL’s statement, he “died suddenly on Sunday afternoon returning north from Wembley”.
Nigel Wood, chair of the RFL, said: “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.
“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 spent 10 years with Castleford as a player, but it was as a coach that he really made his name.
In a coaching career that spanned more than 700 matches across nine clubs, he twice won the Challenge Cup, with Sheffield Eagles in 1998 and Hull FC in 2005, coached England at the 2000 World Cup and spent 11 years in charge of Wales.
Kear was also a much-loved broadcaster, offering his insight and humour alongside commentator Dave Woods on BBC coverage of rugby league.
“He was a great rugby league man,” said Woods. “The most passionate and eloquent of evangelists for the sport, who relished the opportunity to do that on radio and television for the BBC.
“But I’ll remember him as simply the best of blokes, humble, friendly, cheerful, always smiling, always happy to talk to anyone, especially about rugby league.”
Authors
Ned is a sports writer at RadioTimes.com. He has covered a host of sports from EFL football, international cricket and golf all the way through to bike polo and triathlon.
