Arise Sir Billy Boston: Wait for game's first knighthood over

Rugby league's "scandalous" 130-year wait for a knighthood is finally over after legendary winger Billy Boston was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE).

Boston, who overcame racism in rugby union before switching codes, is the most prolific British try scorer in the game's history and second only to Australian Brian Bevan, who played most of his career in England.

The 90-year-old, who was born in Wales with family links to Ireland and Sierra Leone, is not only one of rugby league’s greatest players but one of the pioneering black figures in British sport history.

“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," RFL CEO Tony Sutton said.

“This recognition is also significant for Rugby League, as Sir Billy becomes the first person to be knighted as a direct result of his achievements in the sport."

In comparison, rugby union has 20 knighthoods, yachting has 12, motor racing has eight, horse racing has eight and sheep shearing has one.

Another Welsh great, Jim Mills, questioned on social media just days ago when Boston and the game would receive the same recognition.

After signing for Wigan in 1953, Boston went on to make 488 appearances for the club, in which he scored 478 tries, and was a three-time winner in six Challenge Cup Final appearances at Wembley.

Boston made history in 1954 as the first non-white player to be selected for a Great Britain Rugby League Lions tour, scoring 36 tries in 18 appearances around Australia and New Zealand, including a then-record four in one match against the Kiwis.

He made two more Lions tours in 1958 and 1962 and ended with 24 tries in 31 Test appearances for Great Britain, with an additional 53 tries from 27 further tour appearances.

In total, Boston scored 571 tries in a career which ended at the age of 36, after a brief cameo with Blackpool Borough – second only in the history of rugby league to Bevan, an NRL Hall of Fame inductee, who scored 796 tries between 1942 and 1964, mostly for Warrington.

He was awarded an 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.

Boston received the freedom of Wigan in 2000 and is immortalised in three statues, in Wigan, Wales and at Wembley.

Josh Simons, who officially advised Boston of the honour in his position as MP for Makerfield, the constituency in which Sir Billy now lives, said it had been an emotional occasion.

“It's a special moment for his family, the town, and the sport," he said. “Billy is a remarkable man.

He was spurned by Cardiff and South Africa because of his race, but welcomed by Wigan and went on to be rugby league’s greatest ever player.

“Finally, rugby league is getting the recognition it deserves, after years of being overlooked and belittled as a 'northern sport'. I’m so happy that Billy will forever be the first Rugby League player to be knighted. Nobody could be more deserving.”

David Baines, the Chair of Rugby League’s All-Party Parliamentary Group, added: “I can think of no better candidate to become Rugby League’s first knight than Billy Boston.

"In his career and in his life he has overcome racial and class prejudice, achieving huge success on the pitch and leaving a lasting legacy in our communities and on our national sporting landscape," Baines continued.

It is a scandal that it has taken 130 years for a rugby league player to be given the highest honour.

“I am absolutely delighted for Billy and his family and for our game as a whole. This is a huge moment, and I will be continuing to fight to make sure it isn’t the last time one of our players is recognised in this way. We have lots of very worthy candidates.

“All my congratulations go to Sir Billy Boston MBE for this achievement. He has led the way throughout his life, and now he does so again. We should all be grateful."