Warriors in the dark over Edwards’ claim
THE Wigan Warriors coaching fiasco took another twist yesterday when incoming Wales Rugby Union coach Wayne Pivac expressed his ‘disappointment’ at Shaun Edwards’ comments.
After weeks of speculation, Edwards confirmed over the weekend that he had not signed a deal with his hometown club and considers himself to be unemployed following the conclusion of the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
That is despite the fact Wigan unveiled both current boss Adrian Lam - named “interim coach” - and Edwards at a press conference last August, announcing that the Wales defence coach had “signed a three-year contract” for the 2020 season and beyond.
Following Wales’ success in the Six Nations at the weekend, Edwards said: “On my future, my next step really is to sign a contract, I haven’t signed a contract with anybody yet.
“I haven’t signed a contract. The only team I’m not going to go to is Wales, because the new coach is going in a different direction.
“He wants to do something different. So that’s where I’m at at the moment.
“So as it stands, come the end of the World Cup I’m unemployed. So that’s where I am.”
However, Pivac - who will replace Wayne Gatland as Wales head coach at the end of the year, disputed this version of events. “Shaun was the first person I spoke with,” he said. “He indicated he was under pressure from Wigan and that the timeline was unrealistic. “I talked around a process we would be going through. “That was pre-autumn and pre-Six Nations. “Shaun signed with Wigan and that put paid to the discussions going any further.” The Warriors have commented only to say they are “seeking dialogue” with Edwards to clarify his intentions, adding weight to his claims not to have signed any paperwork.
“I agreed with Wigan and thought we would sign a contract,” the 52-year-old stated.
“But then Wigan said ‘it’s okay, we’ll sign one later’ and I thought that was unusual. And that was nine months ago.
“I agreed to go to Wigan, but I never signed a contract. I’ll consider all offers, league, union.
“All I can say is that I haven’t signed anything with anybody.”
Edwards has been heavily linked with a return to Wasps, where he served as defence coach under Warren Gatland and later head coach, winning two European Cups and four Premiership titles.
The uncertainty comes at a troubling time for Wigan, who have won just one of their opening six Betfred Super League fixtures under Lam and had to argue their case at a tribunal to prevent those two competition points being docked because of salary cap breaches in 2017.
The Warriors were victorious in October’s Grand Final, but subsequently lost influential figures in the shape of Sam Tomkins, John Bateman and Ryan Sutton, as well as long-serving head coach Shaun Wane and several members of his coaching staff.
I haven’t signed a contract. The only team I’m not going to go to is Wales. As it stands I’m unemployed Shaun Edwards