'Everyone was telling me 'remember to go in the right dressing room'! and, honestly, I took one step towards the Welsh one and then I remembered'
Shaun Edwards wants France to give the nation a team they can be proud of after taking another step towards possible Grand Slam glory.
A first Six Nations title and clean sweep since 2010 is in sight for Les Bleus following their thrilling 27-23 victory over Wales.
Wins against Scotland at Murrayfield and Ireland in Paris next month would see France crowned Six Nations champions.
It would also secure another significant entry in Edwards’ packed career portfolio – back-to-back Grand Slams – after Wales’ triumph last season.
Edwards made one of the few wrong turns on a memorable day for French rugby, admitting that he briefly headed towards the Wales dressing room on his arrival at the Principality Stadium.
It was understandable, given his 12-year stint with Wales that produced four Six Nations titles, three Grand Slams and two World Cup semi-final appearances.
But France are now prospering from his masterful defence coaching that again came to the fore as Les Bleus ended a 10-year wait for a win on Welsh soil.
“Everyone was telling me ‘remember to go in the right dressing room’! and, honestly, I took one step towards the Welsh one and then I remembered and returned,” Edwards said.
“It was a fantastic advert for the game and the Six Nations. It was quite an epic encounter.
“The impression I’ve had is the French public – and I think, actually – that the whole rugby public are crying out for a good French team.
“Definitely the French people want a team to be proud of, and hopefully over the next couple of years maybe we can provide that.
“The attitude has been first class. They (French players) are really buying into how I want them to defend.
Worrying to say the least. #GuinnessSixNations #coronavirusitalla #COVID #coronavirus #COVID19italia https://t.co/Z5jhn5n6Am
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 23, 2020
“And it’s not just that – it’s the style of play as well. French teams in the past maybe overplayed in their own half, and it is mixing that French flair with some structured rugby.
“We are slowly getting there. There are still some strides to take, but we are going in the right direction.”
Edwards’ trademark surfaced just before half-time when France repelled wave after wave of Welsh attacks close to their own line, meaning they took an eight-point lead into the interval.
“I honestly believe if they had scored there, Wales would have won the game,” Edwards added. “It was tough defence, but they did well.
“All the credit goes to the players because they dug really deep, and they had to. They were playing the (Six Nations) champions.
There's been some wild speculation around CVC's motives with regards to rugby union.
– @Jbeardmore takes a look under the hood at the what this massive private equity fund really want #GuinnessSixNations https://t.co/qh0ktIhZAM
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 23, 2020
“You’ve got to remember this team we played, they have lost two (Six Nations) games in two years. We were playing a high-quality opponent on their own ground, so we had to do something special.
“What I did do was show them the defence from the World Cup they (French players) were doing.
“They were incorporating Wales-style defence at the tournament, and I said ‘this is how good you can be’, instead of telling them how bad they can be. I showed them some really positive things, and thankfully they have continued in that vein.”
Scotland are next up for France on March 8 – Les Blues have lost on their last three trips to Edinburgh – and Edwards has underlined the game’s degree of difficulty.
“Scotland last year was the toughest game of the whole Six Nations for Wales,” he said. “I’ve been very impressed with Scotland so far.
“We have to prepare for that and then we have a six-day turnaround for Ireland, which is difficult.”
Press Association
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments