Как итог:
Секстон (IRL) - игрок года
Шмидт (IRL) - тренер года
Ireland - сборная года
Цитата:
It is the first time in seven years the award has gone to a player from outside of New Zealand.
Fly-half Sexton, 33, fought off competition from All Blacks duo Rieko Ioane and Beauden Barrett, who was looking to collect the award for the third straight time.
South Africans Malcolm Marx and Faf de Klerk were also nominated.
Sexton's remarkable year at club and international level saw him win three major competitions: the Pro14, Champions Cup and the Six Nations.
Ireland's only defeat this year came in their first Test against Australia in June, a game for which Sexton was rested following a busy end of season schedule with Leinster.
The fly-half returned for the next two Tests and guided Ireland to a first series win in Australia for 39 years.
The Leinster captain also led the way in Ireland's Grand Slam-winning Six Nations campaign, scoring a match winning drop-goal with the last kick of the game against France on the first day of the championship.
"If a number 10 wins an award like this it is due to the team around his," said Sexton
"We have some of the best coaches in the world and are led superbly."
A historic home win over the All Blacks was the highlight of an undefeated autumn international series for Schmidt's side, who have cemented their position as the best team in the northern hemisphere.
New Zealand native Schmidt is expected to announce on Monday he will be leaving his role after next year's World Cup in Japan.
Having spent the last five years at the helm in Ireland, many are tipping the Kiwi to move into a role in the All Blacks coaching set-up.
