Sam Burgess scoops International Rugby League Player of the Year award

In his final match before defecting to the 15-man game with Bath, Burgess courageously guided the South Sydney Rabbitohs to their first NRL title in 43 years.

The Englishman played the entire grand final against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs with a fractured cheekbone but still managed to inspire the Rabbitohs to victory earlier this month, winning the Clive Churchill Medal in the process.

And now the 25-year-old will return back home to England with rugby league's highest individual honour after edging out James Graham, Dally M Medal winners Johnathan Thurston and Jarryd Hayne, and Man of Steel recipient Daryl Clarke at a function in Brisbane.

"Sam was wonderful for England in the World Cup last year and his performances for South Sydney through the NRL season were first-class, all the way to his Clive Churchill Medal effort in the grand final against Canterbury-Bankstown," RLIF chairman Nigel Wood said.

"He is a worthy recipient and deserves to be recognised for his achievements over the past year on the international stage as well as in the NRL competition."

Burgess also becomes the first Englishman to scoop the award, with New Zealander Sonny Bill Williams, and Australians Cameron Smith, Billy Slater, Todd Carney and Hayne the previous winners.