Nothing could dampen Irish rugby's day but, as an aside, Johnny Sexton has missed out on the World Rugby Player of the Year award. In a clean sweep for the All Blacks in this year's awards, Brodie Retallick has been named Player of the Year with New Zealand being named Team of the Year and Steve Hansen winning Coach of the Year.
Retallick had been tipped to take the honour after an exemplary year at the heart of the All Blacks scrum and he takes the gong ahead of Sexton, (and some others) who had been the first Irish player nominated since 2009. But enough of that negativity on a day like this, here's Paul O'Connell being beast-like against Australia.
.@BrodieRetallick has been named the World Rugby player of the year 2014. Congratulations Brodie! https://t.co/lD5tewJ7Rv
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) November 22, 2014
Congratulations to #AllBlacks coach Steve Hansen for winning World Rugby coach of the year! pic.twitter.com/Mm4jix5oRu
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) November 22, 2014
And congratulations to the @AllBlacks for being named World Rugby team of the year 2014. #AllBlacks pic.twitter.com/ISjpURIhej
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) November 22, 2014
