Wigan's adopted son confirmed dead at 92
The Welsh Rugby Union announced that Sir Billy Boston died peacefully overnight in hospital in Wigan, his adopted home for 74 years, at the age of 92. He had been married to Lady Joan for 70 years; her funeral had taken place four days earlier. The union described him as "one of the best loved and most iconic figures in the history of Welsh sport" and "the most famous son of Tiger Bay."
Try-scoring record that still defines the British game
Born in Cardiff, Boston switched from rugby union to rugby league and signed for Wigan in November 1953 at the age of 19. Across 488 appearances for the club he scored 478 tries, a figure reported by one outlet as a then-record and by another as the tally on which his British-record career total of 571 tries was built. He played in six Challenge Cup finals at Wembley, featuring on the winning side in 1958, 1959 and 1965, and was part of the Great Britain side that won the 1960 Rugby League World Cup.
Pioneer on the field, knight at last in 2025
Boston 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 went on to feature in 31 Test matches, scoring 24 tries. In June 2025 he became the first rugby league player to be knighted, ending what Sky Sports described as a 130-year wait for the honour. He was inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame in 1988 and is commemorated with statues in Cardiff, Wigan and at Wembley Stadium.
Political and sporting tributes
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said he was "heartbroken" and called Boston "everybody's hero, including my Mum's," praising the "extraordinary" nature of his achievements, according to the Manchester Evening News. The Prime Minister's office also joined the chorus of tributes on the day his death was confirmed.
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