Anyone see the recent BBC Wales programme about Welsh League players?
Billy Boston was featured, and arguably in his day he was the finest outside back in Wales, and yet funnily enough he never got an invite to play for either Cardiff or Wales. Here he is soring six tries for the Royal Signals in the 1953 Army Rugby Union Cup Final. You'd have thought someone would have noticed, well someone did I suppose - Wigan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHA9iTWn5xI
Roy Francis was another outstanding Welsh product. Signed for Wigan at 17. Then went on to a distinguished coaching career.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Francis_(rugby)
Colin Dixon was a brilliant long striding back row forward from Wales. Had a brilliant career with Fax and Salford
Johnnie Freeman another outstanding Welsh product, also played for Fax on the wing.
Danny Wilson, signed for Swinton, Ryan Giggs's dad a mercurial half back.
And Clive Sullivan played for both Hull clubs, had a road named after him in Hull. Captained a World Cup winning side.
Another Welsh product.
All the above players were Union converts who unlike Jonathan Davies, David Watkins, Scott Gibbs, were not big names in Welsh Union, but obviously RL clubs saw something in them that the Welsh RU clubs didn't. Or was it that they weren't looking in that particular direction.
