Smith named World's best player

by NRL

Storm, Queensland and Australian captain Cameron Smith has today been named the Rugby League International Federation International Player of the Year ? the highest individual honour in world Rugby League.

The Storm Premiership-winning captain, who was also named International Hooker of the Year, was one of seven Australians to be named in the International Team of the Year, along with Storm team-mate Cooper Cronk (Halfback of the Year), while Storm coach Craig Bellamy was named International Coach of the Year.

Melbourne Storm winger Sisa Waqa also celebrated a remarkable 2012 season by being named Fijian International Player of the Year, joining a host of winners from competing nations around the world.

This award caps off another amazing season for Smith, who this year was named as the Kangaroos' new captain, skippered Queensland to a record-breaking seventh consecutive State of Origin Series triumph, was named Dally M Hooker of the Year, led the Kangaroos to two Test victories over New Zealand and Melbourne Storm to the NRL Premiership.

It is the first time Smith has won the award, which was first presented in 2008 and then again in 2011 to Smith's Storm, Maroons and Kangaroos team-mate Billy Slater. Other previous winners are Jarryd Hayne (2009) and Todd Carney (2010).

The awards are voted on by an international judging panel with representatives from both the northern and southern hemispheres.

The RLIF International Player of the Year award winners are:

International Player of the Year - Cameron Smith (Aus)

International Coach of the Year - Craig Bellamy (Aus)

International Rookie of the Year - Shaun Johnson (NZ)

INTERNATIONAL TEAM OF THE YEAR

Fullback: Ben Barba (Aus)
Winger: Ryan Hall (Eng)
Centre: Jamie Lyon (Aus)
Five-Eighth: Johnathan Thurston (Aus)
Halfback: Cooper Cronk (Aus)
Lock: Paul Gallen (Aus)
Second Row: Nate Myles (Aus)
Prop: James Graham (Eng)
Hooker: Cameron Smith (Aus)

Competing Nations' Players of the Year:

Canada: Tony Felix
Cook Islands: Tinirau Arona
Czech Republic: David Lahr
Fiji: Sisa Waqa
France: Vincent Duport
Germany: Mawuli Amefia
Ireland: Liam Finn
Italy: Fabrizio Ciaurro
Jamaica: Fabion Turner
Japan: Noriyuki Tainaka
Malta: Clifford Debattista
Morocco: Souhail Ait Alla
Lebanon: Danny Barakat
Papua New Guinea: Dion Aye
Russia: Sergey Konstantinov
Samoa: Tony Puletua
Scotland: John Duffy
Serbia: Stefan Nedeljkovic
South Africa: Stevie Meyer
Sweden: Tobias Rorstam
Tonga: Brent Kite
USA: Michael Garvey
Wales: Rhodri Lloydd

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