John Kear, the rugby league broadcaster and former Challenge Cup-winning coach, has died at the age of 71.
The Rugby Football League announced that Kear died suddenly on Sunday on his return from covering Wigan Warriors’ Challenge Cup victory at Wembley for the BBC.
Kear led nine clubs across a coaching career lasting more than 700 matches, masterminding a shock win for Sheffield Eagles in 1998 and then steering Hull FC to glory in 2005.