Sir Billy Boston dies aged 92

Rugby league legend Sir Billy Boston has died at 92, recognised as a trailblazer for Black sports stars in the 1950s and 60s and a former Wigan star who scored nearly 500 tries in 488 appearances. He became the first non-white player to represent Great Britain on a Lions tour in 1954 and later earned a knighthood, making history as the first rugby league player to receive one in 2025. The Welsh Rugby Union paid tribute, highlighting his status as a Tiger Bay icon who spent most of his life in Wigan after moving north for his rugby league career, and noting the timing of his wife Lady Joan’s funeral just days earlier. Boston’s on-field achievements include multiple Challenge Cup wins and a scoring tally that places him among rugby league’s all-time greats, with his career standing alongside only a few all-time scorers like Brian Bevan. His death prompts tributes ahead of forthcoming matches as the sport honours a player whose impact bridged divisions within the game. Boston’s path from Welsh union to rugby league stardom and his landmark achievements are widely remembered across the sport.