John Kear: Rugby league legend dies aged 71

Former rugby league player and coach John Kear has died aged 71.

Kear, one of the most respected figures in the sport, passed away on Sunday while returning from the Challenge Cup final.

He was part of the BBC Sport commentary team for the match between Wigan and Hull KR at Wembley Stadium.

Castleford-born Kerr made 133 appearances for his hometown club between 1978 and 1988 and later moved into coaching.

Kear won critical acclaim for guiding Sheffield Eagles to their shocking Challenge Cup final victory over Wigan in 1998.

He later coached many clubs including Hull FC, Wakefield Trinity and Bradford Bulls.

He was the coach of the England team in the 2000 World Cup and took the team to the semi-finals.