Overview
- The Rugby Football League said Kear died suddenly on Sunday while travelling north from Wembley after serving on the BBC commentary team for Saturday’s Challenge Cup final.
- Clubs, former players, broadcasters and RFL officials issued immediate tributes and offered condolences to his wife Dawn and the family.
- Kear made 133 first‑team appearances for Castleford as a player before coaching more than 700 matches across nine clubs and winning the Challenge Cup with Sheffield Eagles in 1998 and Hull FC in 2005.
- He held international roles including leading England to the semi‑finals of the 2000 World Cup and a long spell with Wales, and he formally retired from coaching in 2025 but remained an active broadcaster.
- The sport faces a period of mourning with clubs planning tributes and former players citing Kear’s lasting influence as a coach, mentor and public voice for rugby league.