New Zealand may have missed out on the men’s final but they have had a major win, with Joseph Manu named the 2022 International Rugby League Golden Boot winner as the player of the year.
There was double delight for New Zealand, with superstar halfback Raecene McGregor taking out the women’s award after also claiming this year’s Dally M Medal.
Manu has had a phenomenal World Cup at fullback, running for a tournament-high 1301m from five matches to go with his record-breaking 401m for the Kiwis in the mid-season Test against Tonga.
It’s even more remarkable given he plays centre for the Roosters, with Kangaroos skipper James Tedesco donning the No.1 jersey at club level.
Manu joins New Zealand greats such as Stacey Jones and Benji Marshall as winners of the award, backing up Roger Tuivasa-Sheck who took it out in 2019.
Manu was one of only two New Zealanders to make the team of the tournament, with finalists Samoa leading the way with five players ahead of the Kangaroos who had four representatives, including leading try scorer Josh Addo-Carr.
As for McGregor, she becomes the first Kiwi Ferns player to claim the award after Aussies Isabelle Kelly and Jess Sergis won it in 2018 and 2019.
It caps an incredible 12 months for the classy playmaker who helped the Roosters win the 2021 NRLW title and then played a starring role as they took out the most recent minor premiership on the back of an unbeaten regular season.
She is one of four New Zealanders in the team of the tournament, with this weekend’s opponents Australia providing five players, including Emma Tonegato who is pushing for the starting fullback role for the final.
England’s Sebastien Bechara was named international wheelchair player of the year ahead of this weekend’s World Cup final against France.
Men’s team of the tournament
Joseph Manu (New Zealand)
Brian To’o (Samoa)
Tim Lafai (Samoa)
Stephen Crichton (Samoa)
Josh Addo-Carr (Australia)
Jarome Luai (Samoa)
George Williams (England)
Tom Burgess (England)
Edwin Ipape (Papua New Guinea)
Junior Paulo (Samoa)
Cameron Murray (Australia)
Liam Martin (Australia)
Victor Radley (England)
Harry Grant (Australia)
Sunia Turuva (Fiji)
Keaon Koloamatangi (Tonga)
James Fisher-Harris (New Zealand)
Women’s team of the tournament
Apii Nicholls (New Zealand)
Tara Jane Stanley (England)
Mele Hufanga (New Zealand)
Isabelle Kelly (Australia)
Evania Pelite (Australia)
Tarryn Aiken (Australia)
Raecene McGregor (New Zealand)
Elsie Albert (Papua New Guinea)
Lauren Brown (Australia)
Vicky Whitfield (England)
Vicky Molyneux (England)
Amber Hall (New Zealand)
Megan Pakulis (Canada)
Franciny Amaral (Brazil)
Courtney Winfield-Hill (England)
Emma Tonegato (Australia)
Annetta Nu’uausala (New Zealand)
Wheelchair team of the tournament
Lionel Alazard (France)
Seb Bechara (England)
Jeremy Bourson (France)
Jack Brown (England)
Nicolas Clausells (France)
Joe Coyd (England)
Theo Gonzalez (Spain)
McKenzie Johnson (USA)
Bayley McKenna (Australia)
Stuart Williams (Wales)
Originally published as The record-breaking numbers that prove Joseph Manu is the best in the world
