BRADFORD Bulls captain Amy Hardcastle is the sole English player to be selected in a women's international Team of the Decade, as chosen by the NRL.

Hardcastle – who made her debut for England in 2009 – has earned 17 caps for her country, scoring 14 tries.

Her finest moment on the international stage came back in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup when she crossed for a superb hat-trick against New Zealand, a side she scored against once more in the recent Downer World Cup Nines.

Hardcastle - who is on the short-list for the 2020 Bradford sports woman of the year - also featured for England in the 2017 World Cup in Australia.

She tweeted: “I feel honoured to be recognised for the sport I love. Well done to all that were nominated and the winners.”

She was named on the wing in the Australian National Rugby League's women's team of the decade alongside New Zealand’s Sarina Clark after beating stiff competition from Australian wingers such as Chelsea Baker and Karina Brown.

Hardcastle is currently preparing for the new Super League season with Bulls, having played a prominent role for Bradford in recent seasons.

She was part of the treble-winning side of 2017 and has been a consistent try-scorer, finishing with 19 tries last season when she was also named the Bradford Bulls Woman of Steel.

On her selection in the team of the decade, the NRL wrote: "England's Amy Hardcastle nabbed the other wing spot after an impressive 10-year period that looks set to continue into the 2021 World Cup.

"Despite being considered more of a centre, Hardcastle scored a treble against New Zealand at the 2013 World Cup to solidify herself as one of the more consistent finishers in the game. She was too good to leave out."

Fellow England players Natalie Gilmour (centre), Jodie Cunningham (halves), Lois Forsell (hooker) and Emily Rudge (second-row) were also nominated in their respective positions.

The full team of the decade is:

Sam Bremner (Australia), Amy Hardcastle (England), Honey Hireme-Smiler (New Zealand), Isabelle Kelly (Australia), Sarina Clark (New Zealand); Ali Brigginshaw (Australia), Karyn Murphy (Australia); Stephanie Hancock (Australia), Nat Dwyer (Australia), Simaima Taufa (Australia), Renae Kunst (Australia), Teuila Fotu-Moala (New Zealand), Tahnee Norris (Australia). Interchanges:Rona Peters (New Zealand), Kezie Apps (Australia), Heather Ballinger (Australia), Laura Mariu (New Zealand).