Halberg awards night beckons for Leon Birnie and his team

Hawke's Bay coach Leon Birnie and his girls will have their night of glory after being named as finalists for the 2019 Halberg Awards.

Birnie coached the team to New Zealand football history, all the way to third place at the Fifa Under-17 World Cup in Uruguay.

The Central Football administrator is up against the Kiwi-born Irish rugby coach Joe Schmidt for the coach of the year gong. Allan Bunting (rugby union), Clark Laidlaw (rugby union) and Gordon Walker (canoe racing) were also named as finalists on Thursday.

His team will be up against both NZ Sevens teams, the NZ Women's Kayaking Team (canoe racing) and the Black Sticks women (hockey) for team of the year.

Strangely, the men's Irish rugby team could win more at New Zealand's premier sporting awards than the All Blacks.

Schmidt has been named as a finalist for coach of the year, while not a single link to the All Blacks' 15-player code could be seen across the six categories.

Schmidt masterminded his team's second victory over the All Blacks in November last year, in a slightly disappointing year for Steve Hansen's troops.

The All Blacks also lost to the Springboks in Wellington in September.

It's the first time since 2007 that neither an All Blacks player, coach, or the team as a whole has made the final shortlist.

New Zealand Rugby's hopes for taking home an award lay on the shoulders of the men's and women's sevens teams, who are both up for Team of the Year, as well as Allan Bunting and Clark Laidlaw, who are finalists alongside Schmidt for coach of the year.

The majority of the categories are dominated by wider codes, with the likes of Winter Olympics heroes Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and Nico Porteous up for Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year respectively, and two of the four finalists in the Sportsman of the Year category being motorsport athletes.

The winners will be announced at an awards evening on February 21.

Full list of finalists:
Sportswoman of the Year

(Eligible for the supreme Halberg Award)

Joelle King (squash), Jonelle Price (equestrian), Lisa Carrington (canoe racing), Zoi Sadowski-Synnott (snowboarding).

Sportsman of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Halberg Award)

Nico Porteous (freeskiing), Scott Dixon (motorsport), Scott McLaughlin (motorsport), Tom Walsh (athletics)

Para Athlete/Team of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Halberg Award)

Adam Hall (Para alpine skiing), Corey Peters (Para alpine skiing), Scott Martlew (Para canoe racing), Sophie Pascoe (Para swimming).

Team of the Year (Eligible for the supreme Halberg Award)

All Blacks Sevens (rugby union), Black Ferns Sevens (rugby union), NZ Football Under 17 Women (football), NZ Women's Kayaking Team (canoe racing), Black Sticks Women (hockey).

Coach of the Year

Allan Bunting (rugby union), Clark Laidlaw (rugby union), Gordon Walker (canoe racing), Joe Schmidt (rugby union), Leon Birnie (football).

Emerging Talent

Amelia Kerr (cricket), Anna Leat (football), Josh Armit (yachting), Lewis Clareburt (swimming), Maddison-Lee Wesche (athletics).