French flair must still exist in more structured approach, says Edwards
Defence coach Shaun Edwards is trying to control the excitement around a young France team which is now just two wins away from a Grand Slam by warning of the real and present dangers posed by Scotland at Murrayfield.
France made it three wins in a row with a pulsating 27-23 victory against reigning champions Wales and with Scotland and Ireland left to play, a first Slam for ten years is on the cards for Les Bleus.
However, last season, Edwards was part of the Slam winning Wales management that had to endure a difficult match at Murrayfield before the Welsh were able to triumph 18-11 and that experience is fresh in his memory.
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Edwards, who spent more than a decade masterminding the Wales defence has already had an impact on the French and said: “I told a couple of our coaches after the game that the Scotland match last year was the toughest for Wales in the whole Six Nations and we have to prepare for that and then a six day turnaround for Ireland which is very difficult. I have been impressed with Scotland in the Six Nations so far. They have to be our absolute priority for us.
“If you look at the (defensive) stats it’s probably not great but we have defended for long periods in every single game but the attitude has been first class and they are buying into how I want them to defend. French teams in the past probably over played in their own half and it is about mixing that flair with some structured rugby and we are slowly getting there.
“We got off the line more consistently against Wales and hopefully the best is yet to come. The public in France have been crying out for a good French team that they can be proud of and hopefully in the next couple of years we can provide that.”
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Edwards revealed he had opted to accentuate what was right with the French defence following the improved showing at the Rugby World Cup rather than the inconsistency and lack of discipline that had so often undermined their cause.
“I showed them the fantastic defence at the World Cup and I said this is how good you can be instead of how bad you can be. Thankfully they have continued in that way.”
“It was a fantastic advert for the game and the Six Nations, well refereed and quite an epic encounter. Wales attack is very potent and all the credit goes to the (French) players because they had to dig deep playing the champions who have lost just two games in two years taking away the third and fourth play-off.”
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This is a learning experience for Edwards and he paid tribute to the work current head coach Fabien Galthie had done with the players although his famously demanding attitude is clearly having an effect.
He added: “You would have to ask them (the players) if they are enjoying the defence work. A lot of improvement was done by Fabien at the World Cup and I would like to think I have added a little bit more detail at the break down etc. This is the first time I have coached a French team so I don’t know what they were like before but I am very happy with the response I have got. Long may it continue.
“Three from three with another huge game to come and the guys deserve a glass of wine.”
Watch: Reds & Wallaby flyhalf James O’Connor interview
Comments on RugbyPass
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to comments