As the Wigan delegation headed off on the long journey north armed with his contractual signature, it would not have occurred to them that behind the front door in the Boston family’s crowded patch of Tiger Bay they left a teenager in some distress.
“When the Wigan people left the house late that Friday, I cried,’’ he told me long ago. “I thought: ‘Oh my God, what have I done?’
“I never saw any of the fivers spread out on the table. My mother took them and that was fair enough because she’d brought me up and she had a big family to look after.
“I wasn’t bothered about the money and I certainly wouldn’t have paid three grand for someone like me, not for all the tea in China. I understood that my mother had to keep her word but I knew I would never play for Wales at the Arms Park.’’
Seventy years on, Billy Boston is about to be moved to tears again; tears not of sorrow from an 18-year-old leaving home with his biggest ambition up the spout but tears of joy from an 88-year-old returning home for a ceremony beyond his dreams.
On Wednesday morning at Landsea Square, the southern tip of South Cardiff a stroll from where the original Angelina Street used to be, a statue will be unveiled in honour of The Codebreakers, a select few of those native sons who began in Union, then enhanced Welsh rugby in its widest sense as League professionals.
Some went out of sheer economic necessity, most notably Gus Risman whose father fled the first Russian Revolution in 1905 to create the rugby dynasty as featured in this column two weeks ago. Others made the switch by chance, like Clive Sullivan who made an impression in Rugby League country while playing Rugby Union there for the Army.
この記事は The Rugby Paper の July 16, 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は The Rugby Paper の July 16, 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
England show who's No.1
ENGLAND women’s head coach John Mitchell says his side will take valuable lessons from the 24-12 win over world champions New Zealand as they build towards their WXV1 title defence.
Skivington: We're going to roll dice and go for it
THE Cherry and Whites are the enigmas of the Premiership.
Looking to go one step beyond this time around
NE small step is what it will take for Bath to go one better than last season and secure the Premiership for the first time, but it would be one of the biggest taken by the club in the professional era.
Four-try England make it 17 wins on the spin
ENGLAND women opened the Allianz Stadium era at HQ with a victory over New Zealand to make it 17 wins on the bounce before their WXV title defence.
Time for Borthwick to prove his worth
HONEYMOON periods are not set in stone and in my estimation Steve Borthwick’s ends this summer. Don’t get me wrong, he’s still in good shape.
Barrington ready to power up the Mob
RICHARD Barrington has signed up to the Ampthill “Mob” reassured that he’ll still have a target on his back most weeks.
Skivington keen to build identity
GLOUCESTER won their first trophy for nine years last season and reached the Challenge Cup final, but when George Skivington went on holiday the day after the campaign ended the words in his head were never again.
Roebuck targets England success
WINNING a maiden England Test cap to top the best season of his career will not be enough for Sale winger Tom Roebuck.
Booth: Tough telling players I was leaving
TOBY Booth admits telling his Ospreys players that he would be leaving at the end of the season was one of the hardest things he has had to do in his career.
Stephens' debut try sees off old rivals
DORKING had to dig deep in another tight game between two old rivals, with the lead changing hands twice and result in doubt right up to the final whistle.