Injury raises doubt about Ralls' Cardiff future
Cardiff City captain Joe Ralls might have played his final game for the club after sustaining an injury that could rule him out for the rest of the season.The 31-year-old midfielder missed Saturday's 1-1 Championship draw against Sheffield Wednesday with a calf problem, which could keep him sidelined for a month.And with his contract expiring at the end of this season, Ralls' 15-year association with Cardiff could come to an end this summer."He hurt his calf so he'll be out for three or four weeks. He probably won't feature again this season," said Bluebirds manager Omer Riza.
"But he'll feature in other ways. He'll be around the group. He's a leader and we need that especially."If he comes back quicker than that then great, but if he doesn't, then you can't force it."
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The Independent
6 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.
The Independent
7 hours ago
- The Independent
Craig Bellamy: Wales World Cup qualification hopes alive despite loss to Belgium
Craig Bellamy insisted Wales' hopes of qualifying automatically for the World Cup were far from over despite their dramatic 4-3 defeat to Belgium. Wales lost a seven-goal thriller in Brussels after fighting back from a 3-0 deficit, only for Kevin De Bruyne to deliver a gut punch two minutes from time. It was Bellamy's first defeat in 10 games in charge and Wales were also knocked off top spot in Group J by North Macedonia, 1-0 winners in Kazakhstan. Belgium are three points behind Wales with two games in hand, and will visit Cardiff in October for the return fixture. The group winners will qualify automatically for next summer's finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States, with Wales almost certainly guaranteed a play-off place through their Nations League results. Wales manager Bellamy said: 'I think I read something from the Belgium media – 'an easy way to the USA'? 'There's a lot of life in this group and today I saw a lot of life in this team. We aren't going anywhere. 'I will have a couple of weeks now of recharging but I'm beyond proud and really excited about the future.' Belgium led 3-0 inside 27 minutes through Romelu Lukaku – a controversial penalty awarded after De Bruyne's shot hit the hand of Brennan Johnson – Youri Tielemans and Jeremy Doku. Harry Wilson gave Wales hope from the penalty spot ahead of the break before Sorba Thomas, with his first Wales goal, and Johnson put the visitors back on level terms. Bellamy said: 'I don't like losing. I understand the game but how you lose is more important. 'Who are you as a person? Who is your team? I see that and I'm beyond proud. We're a good team. 'To come to a top-eight team and can we play the way we want to play? I think the Belgium players saw it as well. I won't tell you what we discussed.' Bellamy had promised to go on the attack in Brussels before the game and not sit back and defend against opponents ranked eighth in the world. He said: 'I understand results, I really do. But football means more to me than that. It always has done. 'I'd rather try something great and fail than do nothing and succeed. I've always been that way. 'I might not be great at anything but I'll try to be. It means more. I liked that. 'I said I wasn't coming to sit back, it's not in my nature, don't do it … it's not our culture, it's not who we are. 'So for me it was, 'can we come to a top-eight team in the world then and come and play?'.'
Daily Mirror
7 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
First rugby league player in sport's 130 year history to receive knighthood
Rugby League hero Billy Boston, now 90, will be given the honour at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday, ending the sport's 130-year wait Rugby League hero Billy Boston is set to become the sports first-ever knight at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday. The honour for the Cardiff-born Wigan player will end Rugby League's 130-year wait for the honour. Now aged 90, Boston was a trailblazer for black sports stars when he played for Wigan and Great Britain in the 1950s and 1960s. The honour follows a campaign by his MP and councillors for him to be recognised as well as a campaign calling for the sports' first knighthood. Sir Billy's wife Joan said: 'Billy's family are so proud of him and so excited that everything he's done for the sport and for our community is being recognised. He is a wonderful person who has always loved rugby league and all of the people involved in the sport.' Sir Billy scored a huge 571 tries in a career that ended at the age of 36. He was awarded the MBE in 1996, and was one of the first inductees in the Rugby League Hall of Fame in 1998, joining the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame the following year. He received the freedom of Wigan in 2000 and is immortalised in three statues, in Wigan, Wales and at Wembley. Tony Sutton, the Chief Executive of the RFL, 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.' There has been growing frustration over the lack of Rugby League honours, with a group of cross-party MPS suggesting it was down to snobbery. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: '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.
