INTERNATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR

Joe Schmidt [Ireland] Ireland have become a genuine powerhouse under Joe Schmidt. They are no longer a team that comes close to winning big games, or doing so occasionally.

Now they are a regular winner and they picked up a Six Nations Grand Slam this year, playing quality rugby throughout.

They followed that up with a series win in Australia – they hadn’t won a test there since 1979 – and locked in their number two world ranking.