England’s Rob Hawkins has won a record third consecutive wheelchair Golden Boot, a first in any form of rugby league. New Zealand’s Kalyn Ponga and Stacey Waaka won the men’s and women’s awards. Waaka has also won 2 Olympic gold medals in rugby sevens, and all three winners have World Cup finals ahead.
England’s Rob Hawkins has won the 2026 wheelchair Golden Boot, becoming the first player in any form of rugby league to take the award in three consecutive years. New Zealand fullback Kalyn Ponga won the men’s award and his compatriot Stacey Waaka won the women’s.
The winners were announced in Brisbane. International Rugby League awards the Golden Boot each year to the best player in sanctioned international rugby league matches. The organization named former internationals Darren Lockyer, Ruben Wiki, James Graham, Petero Civoniceva and Adrian Morley to the men’s judging panel, and Karyn Murphy, Tahnee Norris, Ali Brigginshaw, Honey Hireme-Smiler, Trish Hina and Luisa Avaiki to the women’s panel.
Hawkins, 25, also won in 2024 and 2025. He is the second player to win three Golden Boots: Australia’s Johnathan Thurston won his in 2011, 2013 and 2015. Hawkins has scored 19 tries at this World Cup, including five in England’s semifinal win over Australia.
Ponga, 28, played in New Zealand’s semifinal win over Tonga just 23 days after breaking his forearm. Waaka, 31, a center who has also played international rugby union, scored three tries in New Zealand’s semifinal win over Samoa.
Alongside her 2 Olympic sevens gold medals, Waaka won a Commonwealth Games sevens title and a rugby union World Cup bronze medal in 2025.
With the awards settled, Hawkins’s England is due to defend its wheelchair World Cup title against France in Wollongong on 13 November. Ponga’s New Zealand faces Australia in the men’s final at Suncorp Stadium on 15 November; Waaka’s New Zealand also faces Australia in the women’s final that weekend.
The club said a poor start to the season convinced it that changes were needed to meet its objectives, and it plans to appoint a permanent successor as soon as possible.
1 min
The association says journalists and photographers without broadcast rights cannot film match video without permission or post unauthorized footage on social media. The action enforces existing UEFA rules.
2 min
Jean Paul Ndiaye scored the winner on 10 November 2026, in the new under-21 competition, which offers qualification for spring finals through either half-season.
1 min
