Ranking the Top 5 Coaches in International Rugby in 2015

The top five coaches in international rugby in 2015 are all from the southern hemisphere, but one gets in to this list for his work with a European team.

The sport's governing body, World Rugby, named Michael Cheika the best coach this year, but did he deserve the accolade having not won the game's most important prize?

In this World Cup year, priority has been given to performances at England 2015, but results in the Rugby Championship and Six Nations provide important context. Six Nations winner Joe Schmidt of Ireland is the biggest casualty of this stance.

Schmidt's fellow Kiwi, Steve Hansen, may have won the World Cup with New Zealand, but was he the best coach of 2015?

5. Vern Cotter (Scotland)

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Vern Cotter took Scotland to within moments of a Rugby World Cup semi-final. Sure, Australia had an off-day that nearly cost them, but Scotland were fantastic.

Prior to that, in the pool they played bravely in a helter-skelter win against Samoa, were pretty good against South Africa and kicked away the Japanese banana skin.

Cast your mind back to February and March 2015 and Scotland were awful—truly awful. They came bottom of a Six Nations table that featured a poor Italian side and a mediocre France. They played five and lost five.

For turning Scotland around so quickly, Cotter leapfrogs Ireland’s Joe Schmidt and Wales’ Warren Gatland into fifth spot.

4. Daniel Hourcade (Argentina)

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Daniel Hourcade and Argentina were building up to 2015. Until this year, the Argentinian gaucho was stuttering on his horse rather than galloping under his tutelage. All that changed with a first away win against South Africa in the Rugby Championship and a fourth-place spot in the World Cup.

With a limited pool of players to choose from, Argentina sensationally beat Ireland in the quarter-final, were a bit unfortunate against Australia in the semi and should have beaten New Zealand in their Pool C opener.

But Hourcade gets in at No. 4 in this list for the way he has transformed the style of Argentinian rugby.

Although set-piece strength was maintained, 10-man rugby was shelved in favour of an exciting approach making use of the skills of wingers Juan Imhoff and the young convert from the World Rugby Sevens Series, Santiago Cordero. Not that many sevens starlets prosper in 15s, so Hourcade’s vision for Cordero is particularly praiseworthy.

3. Eddie Jones (Japan)

Eddie Jones may have been appointed as the England coach this year, but his renaissance as an international coach was driven by his extraordinary work with Japan at the 2015 World Cup.

Winning three of their four fixtures in Pool B was unthinkable for the Brave Blossoms, as was their unforgettable slaying of the Springboks in their opening fixture.

Jones may have overseen the greatest shock in the history of rugby, but it was the manner in which it was carried out that added an extra feather to his cap. Turning down an easy three points to achieve an unprecedented draw against South Africa, Japan trusted themselves and were duly rewarded. It was remarkable. After that, victories against the USA and Samoa seemed routine.

Jones might not be universally loved, but his preparation with Japan and the fruits of that made him the third-best coach in the world in 2015.

2. Michael Cheika (Australia)

Michael Cheika was not far off being our top international rugby coach in 2015, and given that he was only given the Australia job in late 2014, that is some achievement.

When Cheika took over, the Wallabies were creaking. Confidence was below par, and there were major doubts surrounding the set piece. But Cheika, together with the scrum guru Mario Ledesma (whom he appointed), turned Australia into a side relishing scrums and lineouts.

Cheika has also excelled as a diplomat, to the great advantage of the Wallabies. Bringing in a very specific new clause to allow him to select Matt Giteau and Drew Mitchell for the World Cup was a masterstroke, while getting the best out of tough-to-manage Kurtley Beale demonstrates Cheika’s interpersonal skills, a much undervalued but crucial area for a coach.

1. Steve Hansen (New Zealand)

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New Zealand coach Steve Hansen has the easiest job in world rugby. With world-class players all over the team, great leaders to call upon and an unmatchable rugby culture and mindset to work with, perhaps Hansen should come in at No. 5 in this list. Especially as he didn’t even win the Rugby Championship.

The reason Hansen tops this list is not simply that his All Blacks won the 2015 Rugby World Cup—it’s the manner with which they achieved it. As Sean Fitzpatrick told Sky Sports: “They’re the best-prepared All Black team I’ve seen."

Even when behind to South Africa in the semi-final, New Zealand looked in complete control.

Contrast that to 2011, when Graham Henry’s New Zealand stuttered over the line 8-7 at home against a France team they thrashed in the pool. This year, Hansen’s New Zealand delivered their lines with gusto and panache.

The margins are smallest at the top, but Hansen’s All Blacks pulled further away from the trailing pack in 2015. For that reason, Hansen is Bleacher Report’s International Rugby Coach of the Year.