Wigan icon reveals next league knighthood candidates after Sir Billy Boston honour

Wigan legend Martin Offiah says he would like to see other rugby league greats follow Billy Boston in being knighted: including the late Roy Francis.

Boston, who scored 478 tries in 488 matches for Wigan after making the switch from rugby union in 1953, was knighted by the King in a private ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.

Sir Billy has smashed a barrier in becoming the first-ever rugby league player to be deemed worthy of being made a knight of the realm.

The 90-year-old, who was born in Wales, revealed in 2016 that he was living with vascular dementia.

Offiah, whose feats in the sport saw him awarded an MBE, is immortalised in a rugby league statue with Boston, Eric Ashton, Alex Murphy and Gus Risman outside Wembley Stadium.

Ex-winger Offiah told Love Rugby League: “This is finally a fitting recognition of Billy Boston’s remarkable achievements in rugby league and in particular, at Wigan.

“His knighthood shines a light on the sport in an Ashes year and Billy’s story is one that deserves to be heard and recognised far beyond rugby league.

“He came from Wales as a rugby union player and went on to become a Wigan icon and have his own statues at Wembley, in Wigan and in his hometown of Cardiff.

“The Billy Boston Stand at the Brick Community Stadium is another tribute to his incredible legacy at Wigan, a club famous for their pioneering approach and setting of standards.

“Billy’s knighthood is long overdue but maybe as a sport we have to take some responsibility for that.

“There has been some pressure put on to get Billy recognised but, as a sport, rugby league was too quiet for too long. I think it’s happened now because of pressure being put on by the right people.

“Nevertheless, the knighthood has finally come and it’s fitting that rugby league’s first ‘Sir is a Wigan player because Billy Boston is one of the greatest-ever rugby players in league and union.”

Cardiff-born Francis, who died in 1989 aged 70, became the first black player to represent Great Britain in either rugby code.

Aged just 17, he left home to play for Wigan and later became a pioneering coach at Hull FC, Leeds, North Sydney Bears and Bradford Northern.

Offiah added: “I’d like to see Roy Francis awarded a posthumous knighthood for what he achieved in rugby league – he definitely should have had one.

“Roy was a pioneer and laid the platform for other black players like Billy and myself to move from rugby union to the north of England and play rugby league at the highest level.

“I came from Hackney to play rugby league up north in the 1980s but Roy and Billy did it many years before I did.

“They came from Wales, but all three of us were from rugby union backgrounds so there are similarities in our respective journeys.

“I can connect with what they went through and have so much respect and admiration for what they achieved.”

Offiah also pointed to other legends of the game such as Mal Reilly, Ellery Hanley, Garry Schofield, Shaun Edwards, Andy Farrell and Kevin Sinfield as possible future knights of the realm.

“But I do think the onus is on rugby league as a game to champion people who they believe are worthy of a knighthood,” he stressed.

“The game can do more to take responsibility for this because so many great players have played rugby league.

“Ellery was arguably the greatest-ever player and the work that Kevin Sinfield has done in supporting Rob Burrow and raising awareness and money for MND is incredibly inspiring.

“Billy’s knighthood can hopefully be the first of many for rugby league players.”

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