Englishman Kevin Sinfield awarded rugby league's Golden Boot for 2012Sou

TYPICALLY, Pommy jokes are a surefire way to bring a smile to every Australian's dial.But no one Down Under was laughing yesterday, when British magazine Rugby League World snubbed the NRL's elite and awarded the 2012 Golden Boot to veteran compatriot Kevin Sinfield.

At 32 years of age, Sinfield was judged last year's best player on the planet.

Better than Dally M medallist Ben Barba, who set the NRL highlights reel into overdrive with length-of-the-field tries and remarkable evasion.

Source: The telegraph

Better than Cameron Smith, who led his club, state and country to glory.

Better than Cooper Cronk, who clinched Queensland's seventh straight State of Origin title with a 41m drop goal and then claimed the Clive Churchill Medal - just for good measure.

Better than Billy Slater, who soldiered through last year's finals series on one good leg and still proved impossible to pin down.

And better than Greg Inglis, who made moving to fullback look as easy as moving in with the girl of your dreams.

According to Rugby League World, all those achievements couldn't surpass Sinfield's effort to recover from a head-knock and guide Leeds to their grand final win over Warrington Wolves.

"In the grand final, Sinfield kicked five out of five, from all over the pitch, and that after he had been knocked out earlier by a challenge to the head," said the magazine's publisher, Martyn Sadler.

"What he did in that game goes beyond what could reasonably be expected, even of a Golden Boot winner.

"Twice injured with brutal clashes that epitomise the sport, he simply shrugged off those knocks, got up and got on with his own game."

The powerful pivot also had the distinction of leading England to Test victories over Wales and France.

He becomes the first Englishman to win the Gold Boot since Andy Farrell in 2004 and only the fourth in history after Gary Schofield (1990) and Ellery Hanley (1988).

"He must've had a hell of a year to beat the likes of Ben Barba, Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith," said former Australian Test half Greg Alexander.

"I think they've generally got this award right because Australians have dominated in the past and we've got the best competition.

"The problem with the English comp is the gulf between the best sides and worst sides is so much bigger and that makes it harder to judge individual form.

"But without watching too much of Kevin Sinfield last season, it's hard to say whether they got it wrong or right."

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