Australian five-eighth Johnathan Thurston has become only the third player to win Rugby League World’s coveted Golden Boot twice.
The Queensland and Cowboys playmaker, who was man of the match in the Kangaroos’ World Cup final win over New Zealand at Old Trafford in November, edged out England forward Sam Burgess to follow up his 2011 success.
The 30-year-old Thurston also caught the attention of the 13-man voting panel after guiding his club to the NRL semi-finals and helping Queensland to an eighth successive State of Origin series triumph.
Dual-code New Zealand international Sonny Bill Williams, who won the Rugby League International Federation’s player of the year award, came third in the voting, with Australian captain Cameron Smith fourth and Huddersfield’s Scotland captain and 2013 Man of Steel Danny Brough fifth.
“We asked the panel to consider performances in international matches first and foremost and, given his outstanding World Cup campaign, Jonathan Thurston has emerged as a deserving winner,” Rugby League World editor Gareth Walker said.
“It was typical of the way he orchestrated his Australian side superbly in the match that mattered most, though it should be noted that he was excellent for the entire competition.
“Ever since breaking onto the international scene almost eight years ago, Thurston has been at the very forefront of the sport at its highest level. During that time, he has also collected a host of individual honours domestically …”
Thurston joins Andrew Johns and Darren Lockyer in winning the Golden Boot twice and is one of nine Australian players in the 2013 World XIII selected by Rugby League World, alongside two Englishmen and two New Zealanders.
However, no player from Super League made the team, with England’s Burgess and James Graham both plying their trade in the NRL.
World XIII (all players Australian unless denoted):
Billy Slater, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (New Zealand), Greg Inglis, Jamie Lyon, Brett Morris, Jonathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk, Sam Burgess (England), Cameron Smith, James Graham (England), Sonny Bill Williams (NZ), Greg Bird, Paul Gallen.
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