JOHN Kear has called for proper contingency plans to ensure no other injured player suffers the same fate as Swinton’s Will Hope.

The RFL are still investigating the circumstance surrounding the Lions forward, who was left waiting in agony for three hours at Sheffield for an ambulance that never arrived.

The Ireland international underwent ankle reconstruction surgery at a hospital in Salford – after his team-mates had to carry him on to the team coach to take him back.

The Bulls go to Swinton on Sunday and coach Kear insists that Championship clubs must be better prepared in case of an injury emergency.

He said: “I think it not only raises a question about player welfare but the NHS as well.

“I just feel there should be better contingency plans. We ask players to go out there and give their all but we’ve got to make sure as a game, as well as individual clubs, that they are looked after as well.

“If there’s a crowd of 5,000 plus, you’ve got to have an ambulance on standby. That’s a gimme.

“But I think that should apply to any professional game.

“We are a professional sport, it’s not the Pennine League or anything like that. This is the league below the very elite and the players need to be looked after properly.

“But as a club, we’d like to send our best wishes to Will, the Swinton players and staff and their supporters. We hope he makes a safe and speedy recovery.”

Swinton were beaten 64-10 at the Olympic Legacy Park as the Eagles ran in 12 tries. Kear felt the serious injury in the first tackle of the game to Hope, who broke his leg and tore ankle ligaments, clearly affected the team.

He added: “I’m sure it was upsetting for the other players and that may well have affected their performance.

“We need to factor that in on Sunday but we’ve also got to bear in mind that they will want to bounce back. It’s their home game and it’s also forecast to rain.

“All those things, we’ve got to look at and make sure we prepare accordingly.”