Billy Boston to become first ever rugby league knight
Rugby league legend Billy Boston is set to receive a knighthood at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday, ending the sport's 130-year wait for such an honour. The sport's first knighthood is being awarded before the King's birthday honours are officially announced later this week, because of concerns over Boston's health. The Cardiff-born player, 90, was one of the greatest stars of rugby league and a trailblazer for black sports stars when he played for Wigan and Great Britain in the 1950s and 1960s.The move follows growing frustration over the lack of rugby league knighthoods or damehoods, with a group of cross-party MPs suggesting the lack of top honours was linked to snobbery.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the knighthood represented an "historic milestone". "The first knighthood for a rugby league player is long-overdue recognition for a game that has contributed so much to our national life. "This is the moment we right a historic wrong," she said.Billy Boston, the former Wigan player, who has been living with dementia, is expected to be accompanied at the Palace by his family and representatives of his former club.Investiture ceremonies often take place months after the honours have been announced. But very unusually, and reflecting concerns about his health, Boston's knighthood is being awarded before the latest round of honours has been publicly announced.Wigan Warriors' chairman Chris Brookes said: "I am absolutely delighted and so happy that Billy - and rugby league - has finally received the ultimate recognition his stellar career deserves."Boston is one of the sport's legends, after winning three Challenge Cups and scoring 24 tries in 31 appearances for Great Britain. He has also been praised for helping to open doors for black players in the sport.Brookes said Boston had scored 478 tries in 487 matches for the team - but had remained the "most modest of men" even though he was the "most revered player of our wonderful sport".
The sport's governing body, the Rugby Football League, told the BBC last month that its players had been "poorly treated" by the honours system.The Speaker of the House of Commons , Sir Lindsay Hoyle, joined protests over the lack of knighthoods for rugby players, saying it "cannot be right" when other sports, including rugby union, have had such honours "quite regularly".A cross-party group of MPs had claimed the lack of knighthoods a "scandal" linked to snobbery and class prejudice.David Baines, chair of the all-party Parliamentary rugby league group, had said he suspected it was because "they come from working class backgrounds, didn't go to the right schools, and didn't mix in the right social circles".A BBC analysis earlier this year revealed that a disproportionately low number of top honours, such as knighthoods and damehoods, were going to people from the north of England and working class backgrounds - which overlaps with the rugby league heartlands.It emerged last week that ex-footballer David Beckham is also set to receive a knighthood.
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Powys County Times
an hour ago
- Powys County Times
Billy Boston to become rugby league's first knight
Billy Boston will receive rugby league's first knighthood in a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday. Cardiff-born Boston, 90, blazed a trail for black sports stars during the 1950s and 1960s, making 488 appearances for Wigan and finishing his career with a British record 571 tries to his name. He also became the first non-white player to represent Great Britain on a Lions tour in 1954, scoring 36 tries in 18 appearances in Australia and New Zealand, and featuring in a total of 31 international Test matches. 🫡 Arise Sir Billy Boston! 👏 Officially Rugby League's first Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire… — Rugby Football League (@TheRFL) June 9, 2025 Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: 'Billy Boston's knighthood is a historic milestone providing fitting recognition for the greatest player rugby league has ever seen. 'As MP for Wigan, this is a proud day for our town, for the Welsh nation, for rugby league fans across the country and, most importantly, for Billy and his family. 'The first knighthood for a rugby league player is long overdue recognition for a game that has contributed so much to our national life. This is the moment we right a historic wrong.' 👏 Everybody at Wigan Warriors is filled with joy that Billy Boston will be made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE). Congratulations, Sir William John Boston KBE. #WWRL — Wigan Warriors 🍒⚪️ (@WiganWarriorsRL) June 9, 2025 Boston made a try-scoring debut for Wigan against Barrow in November 1953, and by the time he left the club in 1968, he had played in six Challenge Cup finals at Wembley, featuring on the winning side in 1958, 1959 and 1965. Wigan owner Mike Danson said he was 'thrilled' by Boston's award, describing it as 'a richly deserved honour which means this most humble of men rightly receives, at last, fitting recognition for his extraordinary efforts'. Boston's honour followed a sustained campaign by local councillors and MPs as well as leading figures in the sport, who have frequently pointed out the relative lack of recognition for rugby league compared to union, which has seen 20 knights anointed. Rugby Football League chief executive Tony Sutton said: 'On behalf of the Rugby Football League, and the sport of rugby league, it is a privilege to congratulate Sir Billy Boston on his knighthood. 'Sir Billy deserves to be recognised as an iconic figure in the history of British sport, for the way he overcame prejudice in his journey from working-class Cardiff to legendary status in Wigan, and became the most prolific British try-scorer in the 130-year history of rugby league.'
The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Billy Boston to become rugby league's first knight
He also became the first non-white player to represent Great Britain on a Lions tour in 1954, scoring 36 tries in 18 appearances in Australia and New Zealand, and featuring in a total of 31 international Test matches. 🫡 Arise Sir Billy Boston! 👏 Officially Rugby League's first Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire… — Rugby Football League (@TheRFL) June 9, 2025 Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: 'Billy Boston's knighthood is a historic milestone providing fitting recognition for the greatest player rugby league has ever seen. 'As MP for Wigan, this is a proud day for our town, for the Welsh nation, for rugby league fans across the country and, most importantly, for Billy and his family. 'The first knighthood for a rugby league player is long overdue recognition for a game that has contributed so much to our national life. This is the moment we right a historic wrong.' 👏 Everybody at Wigan Warriors is filled with joy that Billy Boston will be made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE). Congratulations, Sir William John Boston KBE.#WWRL — Wigan Warriors 🍒⚪️ (@WiganWarriorsRL) June 9, 2025 Boston made a try-scoring debut for Wigan against Barrow in November 1953, and by the time he left the club in 1968, he had played in six Challenge Cup finals at Wembley, featuring on the winning side in 1958, 1959 and 1965. Wigan owner Mike Danson said he was 'thrilled' by Boston's award, describing it as 'a richly deserved honour which means this most humble of men rightly receives, at last, fitting recognition for his extraordinary efforts'. Boston's honour followed a sustained campaign by local councillors and MPs as well as leading figures in the sport, who have frequently pointed out the relative lack of recognition for rugby league compared to union, which has seen 20 knights anointed. Billy Boston (front row, far left) featured in six Challenge Cup finals with Wigan (PA Archive) Rugby Football League chief executive Tony Sutton said: 'On behalf of the Rugby Football League, and the sport of rugby league, it is a privilege to congratulate Sir Billy Boston on his knighthood. 'Sir Billy deserves to be recognised as an iconic figure in the history of British sport, for the way he overcame prejudice in his journey from working-class Cardiff to legendary status in Wigan, and became the most prolific British try-scorer in the 130-year history of rugby league.' The full King's Birthday Honours list is set to be announced later this week. It is understood Boston's award was brought forward due to concerns about his health.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Billy Boston to become rugby league's first knight
Billy Boston will receive rugby league's first knighthood in a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday. Cardiff-born Boston, 90, blazed a trail for black sports stars during the 1950s and 1960s, making 488 appearances for Wigan and finishing his career with a British record 571 tries to his name. He also became the first non-white player to represent Great Britain on a Lions tour in 1954, scoring 36 tries in 18 appearances in Australia and New Zealand, and featuring in a total of 31 international Test matches. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: 'Billy Boston's knighthood is a historic milestone providing fitting recognition for the greatest player rugby league has ever seen. 'As MP for Wigan, this is a proud day for our town, for the Welsh nation, for rugby league fans across the country and, most importantly, for Billy and his family. 'The first knighthood for a rugby league player is long overdue recognition for a game that has contributed so much to our national life. This is the moment we right a historic wrong.' Boston made a try-scoring debut for Wigan against Barrow in November 1953, and by the time he left the club in 1968, he had played in six Challenge Cup finals at Wembley, featuring on the winning side in 1958, 1959 and 1965. Wigan owner Mike Danson said he was 'thrilled' by Boston's award, describing it as 'a richly deserved honour which means this most humble of men rightly receives, at last, fitting recognition for his extraordinary efforts'. Boston's honour followed a sustained campaign by local councillors and MPs as well as leading figures in the sport, who have frequently pointed out the relative lack of recognition for rugby league compared to union, which has seen 20 knights anointed. Rugby Football League chief executive Tony Sutton said: 'On behalf of the Rugby Football League, and the sport of rugby league, it is a privilege to congratulate Sir Billy Boston on his knighthood. 'Sir Billy deserves to be recognised as an iconic figure in the history of British sport, for the way he overcame prejudice in his journey from working-class Cardiff to legendary status in Wigan, and became the most prolific British try-scorer in the 130-year history of rugby league.' The full King's Birthday Honours list is set to be announced later this week. It is understood Boston's award was brought forward due to concerns about his health.
