I only got an offer from Wales when I’d already signed up for France
SHAUN EDWARDS REVEALS WHY HE MADE SWITCH TO LES BLEUS
IT TURNS OUT that balancing on a rock perched above the waves is not Shaun Edwards’ natural habitat. Retreating to a safer distance, he discusses how he came to be by the Mediterranean, in the dark blue of France.
Rugby’s most decorated defence guru has embarked on a new phase in his career, as the English representative in Fabien Galthie’s coaching staff, charged with igniting a Gallic revival ahead of their home World Cup in 2023. Edwards was with Wales for a dozen years and he could still be with them now, if he had felt wanted — genuinely wanted. In a wide-ranging interview with
Sportsmail, the 53-year- old sets the record straight and ties up several loose ends, including the decision to pull out of a return to rugby league and Wigan, how Welsh officials let him go and the lack of offers from England, despite years of success.
Edwards was coming to the end of his contract with the WRU and Wigan made their move, to bring home a club icon. The deal was done, or so it seemed. Instead, the former Great Britain captain stayed in union and there was fury in Lancashire about what was regarded as a betrayal.
It was no such thing. Here is the explanation. ‘I realised the previous Christmas (2018) that the fitness guy I wanted to bring on board there hadn’t been approached, four months after I’d made it clear I wanted him,’ said Edwards. ‘I realised then that I would have no control over my own staff.
‘I’d accepted having the same assistant coaches that Shaun Wane had had — I just wanted to bring this one guy in, but he wasn’t approached. Then I found out from a newspaper that George Williams had been sold — and that made me realise that I wouldn’t have any control over signings either. That was the final straw.
‘I told Wigan it wasn’t going to work. I hadn’t even been offered a contract. That never happened. I asked them for a contract three or four times and they kept saying, “later, later”. The romantic part of me liked the idea of going back to Wigan and helping them win titles again, but it wasn’t to be.
‘People in Wigan just think I was offered a lot more money to do this job instead, but they need to know the truth.
‘It was about control, it wasn’t about money. Most of my offers were for about the same amount of money. The main thing was France offered me four-and-a-half years.’ Significantly, that demonstration of French faith in Edwards’ credentials was not matched by his previous employers in Cardiff. As a senior figure in Warren Gatland’s Wales set-up, he had played a major role in the stockpile of titles and Grand Slams that amounted to an unprecedented Welsh golden age. But the WRU only realised what they were losing when it was too late. ‘When I said no to Wigan, I didn’t have another job,’ said Edwards. ‘I’d had no offer from Wales. The new head coach (Wayne Pivac) said, “Yeah, I’ll give you a call back...” Then we won another Grand Slam. I was pretty popular with the fans in Wales, so I don’t know if they (WRU) felt under pressure, but all of a sudden, an offer came in from them — a twoyear deal — right at the end, after I’d already signed for France.’ So surely that came across as a mere PR gesture? ‘Exactly,’ he added.
When it came to identifying the right man to succeed Gatland, Edwards was not even considered by the WRU, which evidently jars with him. While Andy Farrell has been elevated to the head coach role with Ireland, his ex-Wigan team-mate is perhaps unfairly pigeon-holed as a defence specialist. Asked how he would have responded if Wales had offered him the top job, he said: ‘I would have considered it. I don’t think the people in Wales (WRU) realised that I won the Heineken Cup as head coach. I’ve proved I can be a head coach and I’ve been coaching at international level for almost 13 years.’
It is a matter of regret for many within the English game that Edwards has not been hired by the RFU to coach his own country. In fact, there was an approach many years ago but the timing wasn’t right. He hopes there might be another approach one day.
‘I was offered a contract by Andy Robinson back in 2006, but it was just two years after my brother had died,’ said Edwards. ‘I was head coach of Wasps at the time. When you are head coach at a club, you are continually busy, so there’s no time to think about anything else. Coaching Wasps was therapy for me, really. I spoke to my mum and she said, “You’re probably not ready yet for a job with England”.
‘That was probably the right call, but of course I was excited to be asked by Andy to work with England. Some time in my career, perhaps it can happen. I would never say never. Who knows what will happen in the future, but I have just started work here.’
Edwards speaks in glowing terms about Sir Clive Woodward, England’s World Cup- winning head coach in 2003 and now a
Sportsmail columnist, admitting that working with him could end up being an ‘unfulfilled ambition’.
Also in that category would be another shot with the Lions and the chance for ‘ revenge’ against South Africa after the series defeat in 2009. Edwards is certain that it is not a possibility, not with
Gatland in charge again. Why? ‘I just know. We’ll leave it at that.’
Instead, he is immersing himself in the French project. Edwards has been living in Toulouse but may end up nearer the rugby league enclave in Perpignan. It is all far removed from where he came from. When France’s team coach deposits its occupants at a fire station, of all places — rather than at the seafront hotel — he jokes about the culture shock of signs pointing towards Monaco and Cannes, rather than Leigh, Warrington and St Helens.
There is a widespread perception that Edwards could be delivering a culture shock to the system too, by defensively drilling France’s players to drag them out of their comfort zones. But he rejects the image of a screaming drill sergeant and a trembling squad.
‘That’s nonsense,’ he said. ‘ I’m here to encourage people to reach their potential. That perception couldn’t be further from the truth. The last time I screamed and shouted was in 2016, at half-time against England, when our defence had been pretty shabby. That’s not what I’m about.’
Certainly, the players who come into his orbit during several hours in the company of Sportsmail do not seem unnerved by his presence or his reputation. Edwards feels that France are in a better place in 2020 than Wales were when he and Gatland and Co set about transforming them back in 2008.
England were the first opponents then, as they are now, with a Six Nations opener in Paris looming on Sunday. Edwards has brushed up on the French phrases needed to get his points across. He has rammed home the need for vitesse
de ligne (line-speed) and knows how to instruct his charges to hit their opponents in a multitude of aggressive ways.
His ability to negate the most potent sides is the stuff of rugby folklore, but Edwards knows he will have his work cut out in this first assignment on behalf of France.
‘England have so many threats and Eddie Jones is a winner, but we’ll be competitive,’ he said. ‘We won’t be there to make the numbers up. We want to be a serious team.’
The message is delivered with a suitably serious look. Edwards means business. France are lucky to have this Englishman.