Crowds gather as funeral held for Sir Billy Boston
· Yahoo Sports
Friends, family and players past and present have gathered to pay their respects at the funeral of rugby league legend Sir Billy Boston.
Boston, who was the first player in rugby league's 130-year history to receive a knighthood, died last month aged 92.
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His funeral is taking at Wigan Warriors' Brick Community Stadium, with mourners including many of the club's players.
Before the service, a cortege travelled through Wigan on its route towards the stadium in the Greater Mancheser town. A private burial ceremony was set to follow.
Mourners have left floral tributes in Wigan's Believe Square, where a bronze statue of Boston stands [BBC]At the request of the Boston family, people attending are being encouraged to wear traditional funeral attire, but items of Wigan Warriors' cherry red can be worn such as scarves, ties and headwear.
People are welcome to pay their respects to the funeral cortege, which will follow a route through Wigan.
Sir Billy Boston died in August aged 92 [PA]Born in Cardiff in 1934, Boston grew up playing union but was overlooked by his home club. He came to the attention of rugby league scouts while on national service in the north of England, signing for Wigan in 1953 as a 19-year-old.
He was picked for the 1954 Great Britain side and was the first black British player to tour Australia and New Zealand.
He reached the 100-try milestone in just 68 matches and claimed 478 tries in 488 games for Wigan, helping them win three Challenge Cups and the Championship.
In all, Boston scored 571 tries in his career - a total surpassed only by Australian legend Brian Bevan in top-class rugby league - and is one of the truly great British rugby league players.
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