Rugby World Cup: All Blacks, Hansen up for more awards

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has won coach of the year three times previously. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The All Blacks and coach Steven Hansen have once again been shortlisted for World Rugby awards but ultimately Sunday's Rugby World final against Australia will decide the award winners.

The All Blacks have been nominated for team of the year alongside fellow finalists the Wallabies, semi-finalists Argentina and Japan, who caused the biggest shock in the tournament's history by beating South Africa on the opening weekend.

The men at the helm of those four nations - Hansen, Michael Cheika (Australia), Daniel Hourcade (Argentina) and Eddie Jones (Japan) - are nominated for coach of the year.

The All Blacks have won the team of the year award for the last five straight years and eight times since 2005. Hansen has been coach of the year every year since 2012.

Australia has only previously won team of the year once, in 2001.

Earlier in the week All Blacks winger Nehe Milner-Skudder was named as a nominee for breakthrough player of the year alongside Scotland centre Mark Bennett and Georgia halfback Vasil Lobzhanidze.

Previous Team of the Year Award winners:
2014 - New Zealand
2013 - New Zealand
2012 - New Zealand
2011 - New Zealand
2010 - New Zealand
2009 - South Africa
2008 - New Zealand
2007 - South Africa
2006 - New Zealand
2005 - New Zealand
2004 - South Africa
2003 - England
2002 - France
2001 - Australia

Previous Coach of the Year Award winners:
2014 - Steve Hansen (New Zealand)
2013 - Steve Hansen (New Zealand)
2012 - Steve Hansen (New Zealand)
2011 - Graham Henry (New Zealand)
2010 - Graham Henry (New Zealand)
2009 - Declan Kidney (Ireland)
2008 - Graham Henry (New Zealand)
2007 - Jake White (South Africa)
2006 - Graham Henry (New Zealand)
2005 - Graham Henry (New Zealand)
2004 - Jake White (South Africa)
2003 - Clive Woodward (England)
2002 - Bernard Laporte (France)
2001 - Rod Macqueen (Australia)