Even amid the haul of individual honours for Black Ferns captain Ruahei Demant, the recognition of coach Wayne Smith was all the reward needed after a groundbreaking 2022.
As New Zealand Rugby hosted its annual awards on Thursday, 27-year-old Demant took home gongs for overall player of the year, Black Ferns player of the year, and Maori player of the year.
The trio of New Zealand Rugby awards slot in alongside Demant's World Rugby women's 15s player of the year, awarded after the first-five co-captained the Black Ferns to the Rugby World Cup title last month.
The Black Ferns' recognition didn't stop at their co-captain either, as Stacey Fluhler was voted to have scored the try of the year, while director of rugby Wayne Smith was awarded the honour for New Zealand coach of the year.
While Smith has never been one to crave the limelight, Thursday's award was fitting for one of the game's great servants in New Zealand.
Smith, 65, is largely held up as an architect of the Crusaders' Super Rugby culture, coaching the team to its first two titles in 1998 and 1999.
And despite an unsuccessful stint in charge of the All Blacks, Smith is recognised as a key influence on the side's 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cup wins as assistant to Sir Graham Henry and Sir Steve Hansen.
But 2022 saw Smith parachuted in to take charge of a Black Ferns side at its lowest ebb, and guided the team to 12 straight test wins, including the World Cup final - ending England's unprecedented 30-test winning streak in the process.
For Demant, her individual recognition takes a back seat to seeing her coach acknowledged for a campaign that altered the perception of the women's game in Aotearoa.
"I don't know if Smithy would have ever picked up an award like that," Demant told Newshub. "When he was with the ABs, he was the assistant coach.
"For him to be acknowledged on the world stage [as] world coach of the year, here in New Zealand as national coach of the year [was good to see].
"He has such a brilliant mind, one of the best minds in the game. The influence and impact he's had, not only on myself, but all of us players in the Black Ferns who have had the opportunity to work alongside him this year."
The end of the World Cup has seen Smith head back into retirement, leaving the unenviable task for NZ Rugby to replace him.
But with his legacy as the Black Ferns' winning coach now cemented, Demant and the rest of the team want to see another in his ilk lead the side moving forward.
"The way he pushes you, [and] encourages people to think differently," she continued. "The game plan he wanted us to play was difficult because it wasn't the norm.
"He said that when he came in, he doesn't follow the herd. That's exactly the type of game plan and players he wanted. He wanted players that show guts - that was harder than what it sounds like.
"That's the imprint he's left on us."
"For a lot of us moving forward, whatever happens in the Black Ferns space, I hope whoever comes in next demonstrates that value, personifies that value, has courage and is bold and willing to do things differently."
New Zealand Rugby has already begun the process of appointing Smith's successor, with an announcement teased for the new year.
