He grew up in Cardiff's Tiger Bay, is regarded as one of the best rugby league players of all time and now Billy Boston has become the first to receive a knighthood. But the truth is that Billy Boston's incredible skills were not wanted by Wales or his home city thanks to prejudice. Billy, who began playing rugby union as a school boy and represented Neath and Pontypridd in the early 1950s, said he had wanted to play for Wales "with all his heart". That dream was not to be but he went on to find recognition across the border, switching from union to become one of rugby league's all-time legends. Billy was sixth of 11 children born to merchant seaman John Boston, from Sierra Leone, and Nellie who came from Cardiff 's Irish community. Born in Butetown in 1934 he represented the Cardiff Schoolboys team in the late 1940s and began his rugby union career with Cardiff International Athletics Club. When racism left his talents overlooked by the union in Wales, Billy became one of the so-called “codebreakers” - the black and mixed race players who switched from rugby union to league to get on in the sport they loved. More than 150 Welsh rugby union internationals moved to the North of England from 1895 onwards to play rugby league professionally. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. Billy, who played wing and centre, was doing National Service in North Yorkshire when he was scouted by a number of rugby league clubs and signed for Wigan in 1953. The story goes that Wigan's chairman Joe Taylor and vice-chairman Billy Gore went to the young player's home in Cardiff and offered him £1,000 cash on the table to sign for them. His mother rejected this offer on his behalf, getting them to triple the sum, partly owing to her son's reluctance to sign. It was a good move. Billy went on to score 478 tries in 487 appearances over 15 years with Wigan and his achievements were immortalised in a 10ft bronze statue in the town. During his two-decade career in England the Welshman scored a total of 571 tries, making him the second-highest try scorer in rugby league history and a feared and revered player. He represented Great Britain in 31 Test matches, was part of two Lions tours, scored 24 tries for the national side and was part of the team that won the 1960 Rugby League World Cup. Finishing his career at Blackpool Borough, Billy retired victorious in 1970. There may have been statues for him at Wigan and Wembley and a gold plate career record, but there was always lingering sadness that Billy had not been recognised at home. The sporting hero repeatedly said he wanted to play for Cardiff RFC and reportedly shed tears after signing for Wigan knowing that it ended his ambitions to play rugby union for Cardiff and Wales. League players at the time were barred from playing union. Billly's dreams of playing for Wales may have been dashed but the sportsman knew he had no choice: “I was disappointed that Cardiff never showed any interest in me and I think that was because of my colour,” he said. "They certainly wouldn’t let me into their clubhouse after I turned professional. I don’t think I would ever have been picked for Wales at union.” Asked how it felt, he told one author: “I would have given all the league glory away just to once pull on the red shirt of Wales.” But he cannot have regretted the heights of his league career. Those who saw Billy on the field describe his magnetic presence and the talent Wales robbed itself of. “Billy Boston is the most perfect rugby player I have ever seen,” said England’s Joe Egan, while late commentator Eddie Waring judged: “He had that magnetic quality that had the crowd on its toes whenever he received the ball. He was a crowd- puller without any doubt.” The star player got the opportunity and recognition he deserved across the border and was belatedly recognised at home too. Billy is an original inductee of the British Rugby League Hall of Fame, Welsh Sports Hall of Fame and Wigan Warriors Hall of Fame. He was appointed an MBE in the 1996 Birthday Honours "for services to the community in Wigan, Greater Manchester." The Billy Boston Stand at Wigan's Central Park was named in his honour in 2020 and in 2023 Billy, along with fellow rugby league players Gus Risman and Clive Sullivan, were honoured in a statue in Cardiff Bay . To cap this, Billy today becomes the first ever rugby league player to receive a knighthood, as part of the King's 2025 Birthday Honours. It was reported that Billy, who is living with dementia, would have the knighthood conferred before the official announcement of the honour, due to uncertainty over his health. The honour came after a campaign by his MP Lisa Nandy and councillors for him to be recognised, as well as a national campaign calling for the first knighthood for the sport. Sir Billy’s wife Joan Boston 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."