John Kear
Encyclopedia
John Kear is an English rugby league
coach and former rugby league
player. Kear is currently the coach of Batley Bulldogs
. Kear played on the or in the position for Castleford Tigers
.
, head coach of Bramley
(1992), working in the player performance department of the Rugby Football League, head coach of Paris St Germain and assistant coach to both England and Great Britain, he took over the coaching reigns at Sheffield Eagles
in 1997, taking them to the Premiership semi-final in that year. A year later he was the coach who led Sheffield Eagles
to a remarkable Challenge Cup final victory over Wigan Warriors
, this triumph is believed by many to be the greatest shock in Challenge Cup history.
Sheffield merged with Huddersfield Giants
after the 1999 season and Kear retained his job as coached of the merged side before moving on to become the assistant coach to Stuart Raper
at Wigan.
He was coach of the England team in the 2000 World Cup
, leading them to the semi-finals.
. He stepped up from First Team coach at Hull when predecessor Shaun McRae
left to take charge of South Sydney Rabbitohs
. He led the club to victory over Leeds Rhinos
, by a 25-24 scoreline in the 2005 Challenge Cup in his first season. However in April 2006 he was sacked by Hull and took charge of Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
in July 2006 where he steered the team clear of relegation with four wins from the last six matches of the season, culminating in the great escape and condemning Castleford Tigers
to relegation to National League 1
.
In 2007 he fielded a predominantly untried squad and led the Wildcats to 8th position in the Super League, their second highest Super League finish.
In 2009 Kear led Wakefield to 5th position, their highest ever Super League finish. The team were knocked out of the first round of the play-offs by Catalan Dragons.
In 2011 Kear left Wakefield to become head coach of the Batley Bulldogs
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
coach and former rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player. Kear is currently the coach of Batley Bulldogs
Batley Bulldogs
Batley Bulldogs are an English professional rugby league club from Batley, West Yorkshire. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Batley is one of the original twenty-two rugby football clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895...
. Kear played on the or in the position for Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers are a professional rugby league club based in Castleford in West Yorkshire, England. They participate in the professional European competition Super League. They are sometimes known as 'Cas', 'Cas Tigers', 'Classy Cas' or the 'Black & Amber'...
.
Early career
After stints working as a conditioner for Castleford TigersCastleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers are a professional rugby league club based in Castleford in West Yorkshire, England. They participate in the professional European competition Super League. They are sometimes known as 'Cas', 'Cas Tigers', 'Classy Cas' or the 'Black & Amber'...
, head coach of Bramley
Bramley Buffaloes
Bramley Buffaloes is a rugby league club from the Bramley area of West Leeds in West Yorkshire, England. Previously known simply as Bramley RLFC, the club is a famous name in rugby league, having existed prior to the formation of the Northern Union in 1895...
(1992), working in the player performance department of the Rugby Football League, head coach of Paris St Germain and assistant coach to both England and Great Britain, he took over the coaching reigns at Sheffield Eagles
Sheffield Eagles
Sheffield Eagles RLFC are an English rugby league club based in the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Their home games are played at Bramall Lane after leaving Don Valley Stadium in late 2009....
in 1997, taking them to the Premiership semi-final in that year. A year later he was the coach who led Sheffield Eagles
Sheffield Eagles
Sheffield Eagles RLFC are an English rugby league club based in the South Yorkshire city of Sheffield. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Their home games are played at Bramall Lane after leaving Don Valley Stadium in late 2009....
to a remarkable Challenge Cup final victory over Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
, this triumph is believed by many to be the greatest shock in Challenge Cup history.
Sheffield merged with Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
after the 1999 season and Kear retained his job as coached of the merged side before moving on to become the assistant coach to Stuart Raper
Stuart Raper
Stuart Raper is an Australian former professional rugby league player and coach. He has since become a sideline commentator for the NRL with Foxsports...
at Wigan.
He was coach of the England team in the 2000 World Cup
2000 Rugby League World Cup
The 2000 Rugby League World Cup was the twelfth staging of the Rugby League World Cup and was held during October and November of that year in Great Britain, Ireland and France...
, leading them to the semi-finals.
Later career
He left Wigan for the First Team Coach role at Hull, working with Shaun McRaeShaun McRae
Shaun McRae is a rugby league coach, who is currently the director of rugby at hull fc after a spell with the Salford City Reds.-Career:...
. He stepped up from First Team coach at Hull when predecessor Shaun McRae
Shaun McRae
Shaun McRae is a rugby league coach, who is currently the director of rugby at hull fc after a spell with the Salford City Reds.-Career:...
left to take charge of South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
. He led the club to victory over Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
, by a 25-24 scoreline in the 2005 Challenge Cup in his first season. However in April 2006 he was sacked by Hull and took charge of Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
in July 2006 where he steered the team clear of relegation with four wins from the last six matches of the season, culminating in the great escape and condemning Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers are a professional rugby league club based in Castleford in West Yorkshire, England. They participate in the professional European competition Super League. They are sometimes known as 'Cas', 'Cas Tigers', 'Classy Cas' or the 'Black & Amber'...
to relegation to National League 1
National League 1
National League 1, , is the third level of domestic rugby union competition in England.This is the lowest level of the English rugby union league system which is nationwide...
.
In 2007 he fielded a predominantly untried squad and led the Wildcats to 8th position in the Super League, their second highest Super League finish.
In 2009 Kear led Wakefield to 5th position, their highest ever Super League finish. The team were knocked out of the first round of the play-offs by Catalan Dragons.
In 2011 Kear left Wakefield to become head coach of the Batley Bulldogs
Batley Bulldogs
Batley Bulldogs are an English professional rugby league club from Batley, West Yorkshire. They currently play in the Co-operative Championship. Batley is one of the original twenty-two rugby football clubs that formed the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895...