Dan Carter hailed as rugby union's world player of the year

Carter will journey into international retirement with another prize. The star All Black was named the world player of year on Sunday night.

Dan Carter will play in France once he has finished celebrating his World Cup triumph with his fellow All Blacks. Reuters/Paul Childs

Carter's latest accolade arrived just 24 hours after his sang froid inspired his All Black team mates to a 34-17 victory over Australia in the World Cup final.

 The 33-year-old scored 19 points at Twickenham in what was his 112th and final appearance as an All Black. 

Carter, who leaves the international scene with a record 1,528 points, won the player of the year award in 2005 and 2012.

New Zealand were named team of the year after becoming the first nation to successfully defend the World Cup. Saturday's success in south-west London was the third time they lifted the Webb Ellis trophy.

The Australia coach Michael Cheika received the coach of the year bauble after transforming the Wallabies in his 12 months at the helm. He took over a squad riven by internecine rivalries but has moulded them into a formidable unit which claimed this year's four nation southern hemisphere tournament the Rugby Championship. 

Three of Carter's compatriots were also among the honours. Kendra Cocksedge claimed the world women's player of the year and Nehe Milner-Skudder, who scored a try in Saturday's final at Twickenham, was anointed as the world breakthrough player of the year.

Portia Woodman was deemed world women's sevens player of the year and Werner Kok from South Africa was that game's top man.