Playing Career
All information provided below is based only on data available in the RLP database and should be used as a guide only.
Vital Statistics
- Full Name
- Sir William John Boston
- Born
- Monday, 6th August, 1934
- Current Age
- 91 years and 310 days
- Place Of Birth
- Cardiff, Cardiff, Wales
Competitions Won
- The Ashes
- 1956/57, 1959/60, 1962
- World Cup
- 1960
- Test Series
- 1954 New Zealand vs Great Britain, 1955 Great Britain vs New Zealand, 1961 Great Britain vs New Zealand
- European Championship
- 1955/56
Additional Notes
The first Rugby League player to be knighted, Boston was honoured on June 10, 2025.
Playing Career Statistics
To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.
| Representative Career - International | Comp Wins | Starts | Int | APP | 3ST | 3PT | T | G | 2FG | FG | Pts | Bin5 | Bin | Off | W | L | D | Win% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests (Senior International Matches) | - | 34 | - | 34 | 30 | - | 30 | - | - | - | 90 | - | - | - | 23 | 10 | 1 | 67.65% | List | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Ashes | 3 | 9 | - | 9 | 9 | - | 9 | - | - | - | 27 | - | - | - | 5 | 4 | - | 55.56% | List | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World Cup | 1 | 3 | - | 3 | 2 | - | 2 | - | - | - | 6 | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | - | 66.67% | List | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tour Matches | Great BritainGBR | - | 43 | - | 43 | 66 | - | 66 | - | - | - | 198 | - | - | 1 | 32 | 11 | - | 74.42% | List | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tour Matches | Wigan WarriorsWIG | - | 3 | - | 3 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 3 | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | - | 66.67% | List | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Test Series | 6 | 17 | - | 17 | 16 | - | 16 | - | - | - | 48 | - | - | - | 10 | 7 | - | 58.82% | List | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| European Championship | 1 | 2 | - | 2 | 5 | - | 5 | - | - | - | 15 | - | - | - | 2 | - | - | 100.00% | List | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Overall | Starts | Int | APP | 3ST | 3PT | T | G | 2FG | FG | Pts | Bin5 | Bin | Off | W | L | D | Win% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First Class | 62 | - | 62 | 80 | - | 80 | - | - | - | 240 | - | - | 1 | 46 | 15 | 1 | 74.19% | List | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Test Matches - By Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | Starts | Int | APP | 3ST | 3PT | T | G | 2FG | FG | Pts | Bin5 | Bin | Off | W | L | D | Win% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Great Britain | 1954-63 | 32 | - | 32 | 25 | - | 25 | - | - | - | 75 | - | - | - | 21 | 10 | 1 | 65.63% | List | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other | 1955 | 2 | - | 2 | 5 | - | 5 | - | - | - | 15 | - | - | - | 2 | - | - | 100.00% | List | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
World Cup Matches - By Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | Years | Starts | Int | APP | 3ST | 3PT | T | G | 2FG | FG | Pts | Bin5 | Bin | Off | W | L | D | Win% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Great Britain | 1954-1960 | 3 | - | 3 | 2 | - | 2 | - | - | - | 6 | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | - | 66.67% | List | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Contributions:
Andrew Ferguson, Shawn Dollin, Greg Fiveash, Paul Carter, Tony McCarron, Alan Katzmann
Sources:
RFL Player Registers, Wakefield Trinity Heritage
Your Say
10 Apr 2012 10:06pm
In many people's eyes one of the very best, if not the best player of all time. Vastly under rated but his try scoring record speaks for itself.
Although out on the wing, Billy was the complete footballer. Yes he had strength and he used it but what wasn't appreciated was his all round ability. Supremely gifted he had all the attributes and more to make him a contender to be the greatest ever.
31 Jul 2013 7:57am
Mr billy Boston was taught by my father terry fleetwood at catterick signals 1951 -1953 he became a pti physical training instructor due to fact the signals course was not for him his physique stood him out from everyone else and whilst at catterick were he regulary won the YMCA table tennis competition and was awarded with ciigerates which he presented to my father
9 Apr 2015 12:43am
billy boston as a man he is a brilliant person and as a rugby player he was up there with the very best players such as tom van volenovan brian bevan and mick Sullivan.what price would these four bring today.i rate boston as the best of all he was the perfect player he was the complete rugby player,but nobody talks about his ability to swivel his hips while running at full pelt to shrug off a apposing player.i have seen this on many occasions when he left them floundering at thin air,and players lying on the floor in his wake, plus his jack hammer hand off
9 Jan 2016 4:08am
His career spanned 18 years, including 11 matches for Blackpool.He amassed 571 tries,registered the fastest
Every century of touchdowns in just 68 games
26 May 2020 7:34pm
I was from the Cynon Valley,so I had heared of Billy.so imagine my surprise in the autumn of 1953,while shivvering in my flimsy PT.Kit outside the Kemmel Education Centre of 1Tr.Sig.Regt.Catterick Camp a Welsh voice rang out ordering us to Turn Right and follow him up the rain soaked hill onto the Moors.On several occaisions during my stay there I travelled back to Cardiff with him and the West African Defence Regt.guy he had befriended who unable to spend leave at home,was made welcome in Tiger Bay my Billy,s Mam. There were other Rugby players around at that time ,one being Brian Gabbitas??who was on my course.and I soon became aware of the general feeling that Billy,s Colour was the reason he never played for Wales!!
Sadly,I have,over the years made Welsh Media enquiries as to how Billy was doing....but they were always ignored.????? WHY??? That Great Guy..Did Right ....going North!!!
6 Sep 2021 7:27am
Billy is a real gentleman the best winger I have ever seen there will never be another as friendly and good wingers today will never match him
16 Feb 2024 10:17am
I was fifteen years old when that '54 team ran on to the SCG and I couldn't believe what a spectacle they were, even standing still. And Billy Boston stood out from the start. We'd heard about what the Poms were like when they were playing for 'Moother England' and it didn't take long to find out. Many years ago I picked my world team to that time and Billy Boston was and is, the first man picked. Great to see that he's still around, along with Lewis Jones.
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