Keith Hepworth, Former Great Britain and Castleford Player, Dies Aged 82

Keith Hepworth, who played scrum-half for both Great Britain and the Castleford Tigers, has passed away at 82 years old. Hepworth represented Great Britain on 11 occasions, participating in all three Ashes Tests held in Australia in 1970. During this series, Britain achieved a 2-1 comeback victory, marking their most recent series win. In the same year, he also featured in the World Cup final at Headingley, where the Kangaroos secured a 12-7 triumph. With Castleford, Hepworth secured the Challenge Cup in consecutive seasons, 1969 and 1970. He was subsequently inducted into the club’s hall of fame, having played 329 matches for the Tigers. His playing career continued with Leeds Rhinos and Hull FC, and he later undertook coaching roles at both Bramley and Hull FC. A statement from the Tigers conveyed: “Castleford Tigers would like to offer their sincere condolences to the family and friends of Keith Hepworth at this difficult time.” The statement further added, “[He] will go down a hero within rugby league and supporters of the game will be thankful for Keith’s contributions.”