SEXTON, SCHMIDT AND IRELAND SCOOP WORLD AWARDS
REUTERS - World Rugby’s awards night in Monaco turned green on Sunday as Ireland’s Johnny Sexton and Joe Schmidt led a treble of player, coach and team of the year triumphs.
With Schmidt at the helm in the stands and flyhalf Sexton pulling the strings on the pitch, Ireland won a Six Nations grand slam, claimed a 2-1 series victory in Australia and a clean sweep of four wins in their November internationals, highlighted by a first home win over New Zealand. In all they won 11 of their 12 games in 2018 with the only setback coming in the first of the three-match series in Australia. New Zealand flyhalf Beauden Barrett, who was also nominated, won the player of the year award in 2017 and 2016. Sexton is the first non-new Zealand winner since Frenchman Thierry Dusautoir in 2011 and the second Irishman after Keith Wood, who won the inaugural edition in 2001.