King wins World Rugby prize

Erin King was named women’s breakthrough player of the year at the World Rugby awards in Monaco.

The flanker was part of the Irish sevens team at the Paris Olympics in August, only making her 15s debut a month later against Australia in Belfast.

She went on to star at the WXV1 competition in Vancouver, most notably when Scott Bemand's side beat the world champion Black Ferns.

"I feel amazing," she said.

"It's all happened so quick. I only got my first 15s cap a couple of months ago so everything has been moving so quick.

"To even be nominated when I got the email a few weeks ago, I was in awe of that, and then to be named and win the award, I can't quite believe it. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it, for sure."

King will continue to switch between sevens and 15s but is planning to play in both the Six Nations and World Cup next year.

Her international team-mate Aoife Wafer was named on the team of the year, while men's captain Caelan Doris was beaten to the player of the year award by South Africa's Pieter-Steph du Toit.