England stars named in World Cup teams of tournament as New Zealand complete Golden Boot double

Manu, who plays centre for Sydney Roosters, has been a revelation at full-back for the Kiwis both in the mid-season Test against Tonga and their run to the World Cup semi-finals.

He beat Samoa stand-off Jarome Luai, Australia winger Josh Addo-Carr and England pair Victor Radley and George Williams to the big prize at a ceremony in Manchester.

Former national captains Cameron Smith (Australia), James Graham (England) and Ruben Wiki (New Zealand) selected the winner from the five-man shortlist and the award was presented by ex-England and Great Britain international Adrian Morley, who – along with Smith, Graham and Wiki – is just one of nine players to have played 50 or more Tests.

The award was introduced in 1984 and brought back this year following a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19.

McGregor was named Women’s Golden Boot winner and the Wheelchair award went to England’s Seb Bechara.

The consolation for both Williams and Radley is an appearance in the men’s team of the tournament, while England quartet Tara Jane Stanley, Vicky Molyneux, Vicky Whitfield and Courtney Winfield-Hill are included in the women’s side.

Men’s team: J Manu (New Zealand); B To’o (Samoa), T Lafai (Samoa), S Crichton (Samoa), J Addo-Carr (Australia); J Luai (Samoa), G Williams (England); T Burgess (England), E Ipape (Papua New Guinea), J Paulo (Samoa), C Murray (Australia), L Martin (Australia), V Radley (England). Replacements: H Grant (Australia), S Turuva (Fiji), K Koloamatangi (Tonga), J Fisher-Harris (New Zealand).

Women’s team: A Nicholls (New Zealand); TJ Stanley (England), M Hufanga (New Zealand), I Kelly (Australia), E Pelite (Australia); T Aiken (Australia), R McGregor (New Zealand); E Albert (Papua New Guinea), L Brown (Australia), V Whitfield (England), V Molyneux (England), A Hall (New Zealand), M Pakulis (Canada). Replacements: F Amaral (Brazil), C Winfield-Hill (England), E Tonegato (Australia), A Nu’uausala (New Zealand).

Wheelchair team: L Alazard (France), S Bechara (England), J Bourson (France), J Brown (England), N Clausells (France), J Coyd (England), T Gonzalez (Spain), M Johnson (USA), B McKenna (Australia), S Williams (Wales).