Sports Personality: Lions and Warren Gatland win BBC awards

The British and Irish Lions were named team of the year and Warren Gatland won the top coach honour at the 2013 BBC Sports Personality awards.

Gatland led the Lions to a first Test series win in Australia for 16 years.

The 50-year-old Kiwi said: "This is a reflection of the people that were involved in two years of meticulous planning and preparation."

Welsh Lion Leigh Halfpenny was second behind Scotland's Andy Murray in the main Sports Personality award.

With the series in Australia poised at 1-1, the Lions crushed the Wallabies in the final match as they racked up 41 points in Sydney to secure victory in style.

Gatland thanked his support staff and added: "I keep reminding myself that great players make great coaches. Thank you very much."

Victory came after Gatland controversially dropped Ireland centre Brian O'Driscoll for the deciding Test.

The New Zealander admitted at the time that he wondered whether his role was worth the level of abuse he suffered, but has since hinted he might make himself available to lead the Lions against the All Blacks in 2017.

He has been Wales coach since 2007 and won two Six Nations Grand Slams in 2008 and 2012 and reached the semi-finals of the 2011 World Cup.

Gatland stepped aside from coaching Wales last year to concentrate on his Lions commitments.

In his absence, interim coach Rob Howley led Wales to the Six Nations title.