Government minister calls for first rugby league knighthood with Wigan Warriors legend backed

A government minister has questioned why no rugby league player has ever been knighted and called on that to change, whilst also touting a Wigan Warriors legend as her suggestion for the honour.

It’s a surprising stat that rears its ugly head every year when the honours list is announced but no rugby league player has ever been knighted, despite the incredible work on and off the field that so many of our game’s greats have achieved.

There have been many calls for Kevin Sinfield, affectionately known as King Kev to the Leeds Rhinos faithful, to become Sir Kev following his magnificent fundraising work in support of his best friend Rob Burrow.

Sinfield has been handed multiple honours for his charitable work in recent years and was handed an MBE in 2014 for services to rugby league. As such, he currently has an MBE, OBE and CBE, but no knighthood.

Lisa Nandy, the Member of Parliament for Wigan and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, has now called on that stat to be changed, arguing that rugby league should have had a Sir.

Wigan Warriors legend backed by MP to be first rugby league player knighted

She made that argument when appearing on The Bench Podcast with Jenna Brooks and Jon Wilkin, saying that the lack of recognition at the highest level for those in our sport “absolutely has to change”.

Nandy explained: “When we talk about rugby league, lots of people have said, rightly, that nobody from rugby league has ever been given a knighthood. Ever. Why is that?

“That’s the sort of thing that, in my views, absolutely has to change.”

Jon Wilkin asked her who, in her view, should be the first man to claim the title of ‘Sir’ for their services to our sport, and Nandy was unequivocal in her choice.

“Well, who would it be? Come on,” she responded.

“The greatest rugby league player of all time. His name begins with Billy and ends with Boston.”

Put to her that the title of ‘greatest rugby league player of all time’ was a “subjective thing”, the Wigan MP quipped: “Not here, it’s not.”

Boston would certainly be in the argument to be the best ever British player with the Welshman making almost 500 appearances for Wigan, scoring at a rate of just under one try per game.

His tally of 571 career tries is the second-highest in the sport’s history and he’s been honoured within the sport as a Hall of Fame inductee for Welsh Sport, Wigan Warriors and British Rugby League.

Boston will turn 91 this August and still attends the occasional game at The Brick Community Stadium with his appearance on the big screen always being met with raucous applause from the home crowd, many who will have never watched him play but know of his greatness.