Rugby league legend John Kear dies ‘suddenly’, day after commentating on Challenge Cup final

Sad news.

Kear was a former England, Wales and two-time Challenge Cup-winning coach.

A statement by the Rugby Football League (RFL) said that Kear "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".

"Our thoughts and condolences are with John's wife Dawn, his family and friends," the RFL added.

Kear lasted over 700 matches and included the national teams for England, Wales, and France. Kear worked for nine different clubs during his career.

During the 2000 World Cup, Kear was England's head coach, leading the team to the semi-finals before joining Hull FC, where he won his second Challenge Cup trophy against Leeds Rhinos in Cardiff in 2005.

He went on to spend five years in charge of Wakefield, famously helping them avoid relegation and condemning his hometown club Castleford to the Championship.

Then in 2011, Kear took over at Barley, and after being in charge for six seasons, he moved to coach the Bradford Bulls after they were relegated to the Championship, and remained there until 2022.

Kear also spent over a decade in charge of Wales from 2014 to 2025, leading the team in 15 matches and recording seven wins, seven losses, and one draw.

Kear played as an outside back at Castleford for a decade before moving into coaching. He later returned to Batley for a short stint in 2025 before stepping away from the game.

Tributes have been pouring in for the Rugby League legend, with Nigel Wood, chair of the RFL, saying: "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, overseeing 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."

Dave Woods, the Sky Sports commentator who became a close friend of Kear's through their commentary partnership for the BBC, said: "This is devastating news for all of us, but especially for Dawn and for all of John's family, and I'm sure the whole sport will join me in sending our deepest condolences.

"He was a great rugby league man, 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."