Shaun Edwards' return to League thrown into further doubt following post-match comments
Wales coach Shaun Edwards has not finalised his next move after the World Cup, with an agreed switch to rugby league side Wigan appearing off the table.
Wales’ defensive guru claimed his 50th career winners’ medal as player and coach as Warren Gatland’s men sealed the Guinness Six Nations Grand Slam with a 25-7 victory over Ireland in Cardiff.
The 52-year-old will depart his Wales post after the autumn’s World Cup when he insisted he will be a free agent despite having previously agreed a deal with Super League side Wigan.
“On my future, my next step really is to sign a contract, I haven’t signed a contract with anybody yet,” Edwards told Press Association Sport.
“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.
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“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.”
Head coach Gatland will leave Wales after the World Cup along with Edwards, with Scarlets boss Wayne Pivac taking the helm for 2020.
Edwards spent 14 years with Wigan as a player in a stunning rugby league career where he earned 36 Great Britain caps.
He agreed a deal with Wigan nine months ago, but Edwards revealed the Super League club never produced a contract for him to sign.
He could now return to Wasps, where Edwards’ previous spell as a coach – under Gatland – and then head coach returned two European Cups and four Premiership titles.
“I agreed with Wigan and thought we would sign a contract,” said Edwards.
“But then Wigan said, ‘it’s OK, 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 hailed Wales boss Gatland for producing his best-ever coaching in claiming his third Grand Slam at the Wales helm
Gatland predicted before the tournament started that if his side won in France in round one they could pull off a Grand Slam.
That clairvoyance was vindicated in a stunning performance at the Principality Stadium on Saturday.
Edwards said: “Obviously I’ve worked with Warren for many, many years now, and his coaching this campaign I think has been probably the best I’ve ever seen him coach. It has been amazing.
“It was like going back to being at Wasps in the grand final weeks, when we won three grand finals on the bounce, and winning Heineken Cups.
“One of the old Waspies texted me this morning and I said it’s just like grand final week again. And obviously it ended up the same result.
“Warren’s coaching in this campaign has been absolutely unbelievable.
“We work hard behind the scenes, we train hard.
“You reap what you sow, and in those down weeks Warren in particular is amazing at leading the lads, making them push themselves through the pain barrier, in the training, in the preparation.
“And we got the rewards in the games against England and obviously today.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Ag please, Pieter Stef Du Toit has played circles around this clown.
1 Go to commentsJust celebrating the Bok’s 1648th consecutive day as RWC champions. They are also the Qatar Airways Cup winners, which I know BennieBoy cares about a lot.
1 Go to commentsGood to here positive stories towards Aus Rugby. Although that might be the case, and highers up are right about Jordie, I wouldn’t stress trying to retain him. What I have seen of him in recent times is that he’s not using that something special. I feel there a better ‘something special’ options coming through that they won’t have to compete with league for, hell even in Kerevi and Paisami (isn’t it great to finally see his ability getting recognized, probably taking this article in isolation too much here).
49 Go to commentsgreat article! I wonder whether we will we see Ireland adopt the Nienaber blitz? All the teams who have tried it so far (SA included) have gone through significant teething problems in the first season; Ireland could possibly be in the unique position of being able to switch to a hard blitz in season 2 of a world cup cycle and already have so many players used to the system that it can be implemented seamlessly.
7 Go to commentsThey probably left another 20 on the field to be fair. Also - the officiating was… ordinary.
1 Go to commentsblackadder isnt a key player at all you cant say hes been the best player or a key all black when hes injured every week
2 Go to commentsThat loss to the Blues still stings! The Reds have fallen short in 4 of the 6 games decided by 7 points or fewer. Are they not fit enough to close out the close games or are there tactical issues when games go down to the wire? The pleasing thing is no Australian side can better the Reds record of 3 wins from 5 against Kiwi sides but the Brumbies can match it. Les Kiss has instilled a belief in the Reds that they can match it with all the New Zealand sides.
49 Go to commentsA potential 5th star for Leinster and redemption adter losing 2 tight finals against La Rochelle against Toulouse and the chance for Jacques Nienaber to have some success without Rassie Erasmus running the show.
7 Go to commentsThanks Nick, and welcome back 😁 Vulavalu does look better this year, and about time. I suspect Schmidt will knock the hubris out of him. That one handed put down was so embarrassing. Mind you, I had thought Kiss would deal with that. Leaving aside the different games and skills, in NRL he had a very good (but no bullshit) type of coach in Bellamy, something he hasn't had in Union until this year. Bellamy would have roasted him unmercifully for an unprofessional put down.
49 Go to commentsYou’d think the first step would be taking responsibility for the stupid sh*t you did and to stop blaming other people. Does he seriously think that people believe him when he says it just magically got into his system without him knowing anything about it? You’re gonna notice if you’re on the juice, bruh.
2 Go to commentsI watch the Reds now, and many of their players, and think back to watching London Irish in their last two years under Michael Kiss. I recall Nick Phipps looking a very competent scrumhalf, Rob Simmons a lynch pin in the lineouts. Both men writen off by many on the rugby sites. There is no question in my mind that Kiss has a very different touch to any coach the Reds have had in years. It will take time, but this team could develop into a very good team, hard to beat by any one down here in the SH. You highlight two players especially, Nick. Vunivalu and Paisami are thriving this year, especially the latter. And so many others. The now heavier Fraser McReight, his great mate Harry Wilson, and the “Fardy” man, Liam Wright. That is only three, ut in reality every player is acroos the whole squad is the better for the new regime.
49 Go to commentsRecord Score Downloading…………..
1 Go to commentsWonderful insightful interview with Crusader Johnny McNicoll. He was exceptional in the wins over the Chiefs and Rebels and I am sure he will get a contract again for 2025. He was an excitement machine for Canterbury and the Crusaders in 2011-16 and he still is. He has added to the attack particularly. Had a fine career with Wales in the intervening years.
1 Go to commentsAmazing what decent coaching can do! I always felt Folau never improved much as a player and never had a great coach using his talents. Suli seems different at qld this year.
49 Go to commentsI’m sick to death of waiting 3 years for league players to become half decent. It cripples Australian rugby in the meantime. The Reds actually looked half competent without Vunivalu not starting last week. He’s just a liability of errors. Paisami is looking better than he has in previous years but I’d have Kerevi back in a flash. A kiwi wont tho …...
49 Go to commentsExcellent analysis Nick as we have come to expect. I was not really aware that NFL strategies have been adopted by rugby teams, especially in defence. One point I would make is that the Northhampton attacking player on the end of the chain in the video examples has not maintained the correct depth to be effective. In the footage shown the outside player is too flat to make the best of the opportunity his inside players have provided. In each case they have to reduce speed and turn their body backwards to secure the ball, losing all momentum and giving the impressive scrambling defence the chance to shut down the threat.
7 Go to commentsMorning, John. Do you think that it may be a good idea to rest both teams from the Madrid comp leading in to the Olympics
2 Go to comments« I am preparing myself for much more, something much bigger. I’m focussing on the next cycle, » You don’t say…
2 Go to commentsGeez plenty of time to come right before test season starts. Dont panic mr Mannering!!!!!
2 Go to commentsGreat read Nick. The Reds really have been great to watch this year, and the improvement of not only the players you mention, but the squad in general has been obvious. The Reds 10/12 play making axis is a nice counterpoint to the 10/15 partnership at the Brumbies and Rebels. If Schmidt was to pick say, Lolesio, Paisami and Wright / Kellaway, would this be too many play makers? I notice in a lot of those clips Tim Ryan playing across the field in support of Vunivalu. Is this a feature of Kiss’s structure?
49 Go to comments