England wheelchair star Rob Hawkins has become the first player in history to win the IRL Golden Boot in three successive years.

Hawkins is without doubt the standout star in the wheelchair discipline of rugby league, which led to him becoming the first person in history to win a Golden Boot in back-to-back years in 2024 and 2025.

But he has now gone one further – making it a hat-trick with another win at a ceremony in Wollongong on Thursday night, which also saw the men’s and women’s winners crowned.

IRL Golden Boot winners crowned

Hawkins stole the show with a staggering five tries during England’s World Cup semi-final win over Australia on Tuesday – and he will now hope to inspire England to back-to-back World Cup triumphs in the final against France on Friday morning.

And he will enter the game as the world’s best player in his discipline once again after landing an historic Golden Boot.

The Wheelchair award is selected by a panel comprising Malcolm Kielty MBE, one of the sport’s founding fathers and a former Ireland team manager; World Cup winner and England heritage player No1 Wayne Boardman; former Australia captain Brad Grove; former France coach Sylvain Crismanovich; and IRL Wheelchair Rugby League Advisory Group Secretary David Butler. 

Meanwhile, the men’s award went to Kalyn Ponga – who made a shock return from a broken arm to help guide New Zealand back to this weekend’s World Cup final.

Ponga saw off competition from his Kiwis team-mate Casey McLean, Tonga centre Rob Toia and his opposite number Reece Walsh to land the most coveted award in the international game.

He has proven to be a hugely influential figure for Stacey Jones’ side whenever he has been on the field, and Ponga will be critical to New Zealand’s chances of winning just their second-ever Rugby League World Cup this weekend when they take on Australia.

That award was selected by some of the men who have golden caps, having made over 50 Test appearances. Darren Lockyer (Australia), Ruben Wiki (New Zealand), James Graham (England), Petero Civoniceva (Australia/Fiji) and Adrian Morley (England) were on the selection panel.

Meanwhile, another New Zealander won the women’s Golden Boot award: with Kiwi Ferns star Stacey Waaka winning the award.