England win Team of the Year
The World Cup winning England women's rugby team were crowned BBC Sports Personality Team of the Year last night, becoming just the second ever women's team to the win in the 54-year history of the prestigious award.
Published by Alison Donnelly, December 15th, 2014
2 minute read
Gary Street's side beat off competition from Europe's Ryder Cup golfers, the GB & Northern Ireland athletics squad and the Mercedes F1 team.
England beat Canada 21-9 in Paris to win the World Cup for the first time since 1994 after three final defeats.
"This is a massive turning point for women's sport," said captain Katy McLean.
"I would like to thank the Rugby Football Union and Sport England and our friends and family and to everybody at home."
"Also to the ex-players who have battled to win England the World Cup. This is just as much to you as it is to us.
"This is for you guys," added McLean.
Many of the England players returned to full-time jobs following the win.
It was later announced that the England Women's Sevens squad would be turning professional, with the Rugby Football Union giving full-time contracts to 20 players.
A number of the squad have just returned from Dubai where they won the Plate title at the first stop of the Women's Sevens World Series.
Gary Street was nominated for Coach of the Year.
The only other women's side to win Team of the Year was the 1969 Great Britain 4x400m relay team, although the 1978 Great Britain Wightman Cup tennis team shared the award.