Smith wins international award

Melbourne Storm and Australia skipper Cameron Smith was named Wednesday as the 2012 international player of the year by the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF). The award capped a successful season for Smith, who this year was named as the Kangaroos' new captain, led the Storm to the National Rugby League (NRL) title and Queensland to a seventh straight State of Origin Series triumph. Smith also won the NRL's Dally M hooker of the year and led the Kangaroos to two Test victories over New Zealand. The hooker was one of eight Australians to be named in the RLIF's international team of the year, along with Storm team-mate Cooper Cronk (scrum-half of the year) and club coach Craig Bellamy (coach of the year). England duo Ryan Hall of Leeds Rhinos (winger of the year) and Canterbury Bulldogs forward James Graham (prop of the year) were the only non-Australian players to be selected in the international team. New Zealand halfback Shaun Johnson was named the international rookie of the year.