World Rugby awards: Zoe Aldcroft and Antoine Dupont win player of the year awards
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Aldcroft has helped England to a run of 18 Tests unbeaten
England second row Zoe Aldcroft has been named World Rugby's women's player of the year.
The honour follows an impressive Autumn Series for the 25-year-old, in which she captained the Red Roses for the first time.
"I'm so proud," said Aldcroft. "I'm very honoured to accept the award."
Antoine Dupont was named men's player of the year after impressing for France and helping Toulouse to the Heineken Champions Cup and French Top 14 double.
Dupont, 25, was picked ahead of nominees including England's Maro Itoje and said it was "hard to take in" seeing his name alongside "legends" to have won the award in the past.
"I have lots of feelings and emotions mixed together," the France scrum-half added. "We think about all the steps we've taken, how we started when we were four or five years old in the field to get to this point. Even if it is not an end in itself, it is still a great reward."
Aldcroft is the fourth England player to win the women's award following Michaela Staniford (2012), Sarah Hunter (2016) and Emily Scarratt (2019).
She said her advice for the next generation of female players was: "Be yourself, work hard and keep your feet on the ground."
"Any individual awards are a reflection of a team effort and I'd like to dedicate this to all of the team-mates, coaching and management staff that I work with for club and country," Aldcroft said. "Their support is invaluable and I can't thank them enough for everything they do.
"From an England perspective, we're looking forward to the Six Nations and then the World Cup in New Zealand later in 2022 - we're heading into a huge year for the women's game."
Aldcroft won the public vote ahead of England team-mate Poppy Cleall, France scrum-half Laure Sansus and France wing Caroline Boujard.
In November, England's women dominated world champions New Zealand over two matches, winning 56-15 and 43-12, and subsequently extending their unbeaten run to 18 Tests.
Earlier this week, Red Roses boss Simon Middleton became the first coach of a women's team to be named World Rugby's coach of the year.
Dream teams of the year
Players from seven nations - Australia, England, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland and South Africa - were selected in the men's 15 dream team.
England and France, the two most successful teams in women's rugby in 2021, dominated the women's team.
Men's 15 dream team:
Backs (15-9): Stuart Hogg (Scotland), Will Jordan (New Zealand), Lukhanyo Am (South Africa), Samu Kerevi (Australia), Makazole Mapimpi (South Africa), Beauden Barrett (New Zealand), Antoine Dupont (France)
Forwards (1-8): Wyn Jones (Wales), Malcolm Marx (South Africa), Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), Maro Itoje (England), Eben Etzebeth (South Africa), Siya Kolisi (South Africa), Michael Hooper (Australia), Ardie Savea (New Zealand)
Women's 15 dream team:
Backs (15-9): Jasmine Joyce (Wales), Caroline Boujard (France), Stacey Fluhler (New Zealand), Beatrice Rigoni (Italy), Abby Dow (England), Caroline Drouin (France), Laure Sansus (France)
Forwards (1-8): Annaelle Deshayes (France), Agathe Sochat (France), Sarah Bern (England), Safi N'Diaye (France), Abbie Ward (England), Zoe Aldcroft (England), Karen Paquin (Canada), Poppy Cleall (England)
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