World Rugby gives coach award to first from women's team
World Rugby gives coach award to first from women's team
DUBLIN (AP) — Simon Middleton is the first coach of a women’s team to be awarded World Rugby coach of the year.
His England Women’s side just completed a second straight calendar year unbeaten, stretching their winning streak to 18, their third best run in test history.
This year, the English won a third straight Women’s Six Nations. Across their autumn series, including successive record wins against No. 2-ranked New Zealand, beating No. 3 Canada and No. 6 the United States, the women scored 239 points and conceded 39.
But Middleton, in charge of England Women for seven years, warned other teams will catch up by the time of the Women’s Rugby World Cup next October in holder New Zealand.
The other coach nominees were Allan Bunting and Cory Sweeney of the Olympic champion New Zealand Women’s Sevens, Ian Foster of the All Blacks, and Dave Rennie of the Wallabies.
Two England players, forwards Zoe Aldcroft and Poppy Cleall, are nominated for World Rugby women’s player of the year, to be announced on Friday.
