 Shane Williams has scored eight tries in nine Wales games this year
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Shane Williams has won the prestigious IRB world player of the year award to cap a memorable year for the Welshman.
The Wales and Ospreys winger became the first Welshman to win the individual award at a ceremony in London.
Williams beat Scottish skipper Mike Blair, Wales captain Ryan Jones, All Black fly-half Dan Carter and Italy captain Sergio Parisse to the award.
During 2008 the 31-year-old Williams broke the Welsh try-scoring record and inspired Wales to the 2008 Grand Slam.
"This caps the best year of my career," said Williams, who has already won the RBS Six Nations Player of the Year gong, with his six tries equalling Will Greenwood's Six Nations try-scoring record.
Williams scored decisive tries in four of Wales' five Six Nations wins and his score in the Grand Slam decider against France was the 41st try of his international career, breaking Gareth Thomas's all-time Welsh try record.
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THE WONDER OF WILLIAMS
Position: Winger
Date of Birth: 26 February, 1977
Born: Swansea
Previous clubs: Amman Utd, Neath
Favourite TV show: The Simpsons
Favourite meal: Christmas dinner
Did you know?: Williams preferred football as a child and supports Blackburn Rovers
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Williams, who boasts a prolific international strike-rate of 43 tries in 62 Tests, was a key member of the Ospreys 'galacticos' that enjoyed EDF Energy Cup glory last season.
But his sensational displays and lethal finishing for Wales won him his second Six Nations clean sweep in four years and captured the imagination of the rugby world.
Williams' International Rugby Board award is remarkable given he he once considered quitting rugby after admitting he had "had a gutsful" of the game.
In 2002 Williams suffered a series of hamstring injuries and was not in former Wales coach Steve Hansen's plans.
"I was fed up and felt like quitting," recalled Williams.
"I wasn't playing for Wales and I wasn't happy.
"There were times when I thought it wasn't worth it and I was convinced I wouldn't play for Wales again."
Williams' determination drove him back to the big stage and he starred for Wales at the 2003 World Cup before becoming a British and Irish Lion in 2005.
"You have to be stubborn and bloody-minded," said the 5ft 6in winger, who has often been accused of being too small to be a world-class international player.
Plucked from obscurity in his early 20s from amateur side Amman United where he was playing as a scrum-half, Williams was a late-comer to professional rugby.
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606: DEBATE
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The then Neath coach Lyn Jones spotted his potential and signed him for the Welsh All Blacks but when Welsh rugby went regional, Williams followed Jones to the Ospreys
Williams joins an elite list of top rugby players to have won the IRB award with previous winners including Ireland's Keith Wood, Fabien Galthie of France, England's Jonny Wilkinson, Schalk Burger of South Africa, New Zealand pair Carter and Richie McCaw and Springbok Bryan Habana.
The winner was selected by the award's independent panel of judges - headed by legendary Australian captain John Eales - comprising more than 500 Test caps between then.
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