England made no offer to Shaun Edwards

I was surprised to read this at the end of an article about Shane Williams:

'"From the moment I came to Wales I felt accepted by the Welsh public. I have always felt the players have been very receptive to my coaching. So for me to leave that sort of environment would have been a big risk.

"England was never an option because to have an option you need to have an offer in the first place.

"I am very happy in Wales."'

I'm a Welshman (look you, leeks for all), but if I was an English rugby supporter I'd be angry that the RFU didn't even make Shaun Edwards an offer to come on board. He was a free agent.

SOURCE: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/15859062.stm

Are you a Western Mail reporter? It doesn't say they didn't speak to him, only that they made no offer. Perhaps his demands were too much for them. However being a blunt northerner ex RL man, I suspect the RFU would be holding their noses if they signed him up. Not exactly an ideal working relationship.

How can England be in a position to offer him a contract when the RFU doesn't have a complete board of directors or Head Coach/Team Manager in position. The RFU is in a civil war at the minute and a defence coach isn't the top priority.

I haven't said they didn't speak to him, just that they didn't make him an offer, which is what he himself says.

Accusing someone of being a Western Mail reporter is possibly the worst insult imaginable. I am shocked and apalled.

?

I think the RFU have other things on their minds right now.

What would be funny is if the WRU came in and signed up Rowntree as well from under their noses as is being reported as a possibility. The only guy to come out with any credit from the current turmoil at HQ.

I am not disappointed. He clearly works well for Wales but he would be coming into an unstable regime at England and with Wasps not doing particularly well at this time I do not view him as a must for England at all. I think they were right not to make hime an offer.

I think it is correct that the RFU gets its own management sorted then get in the correct coaches. Signing someone up immediately (which Edwards clearly wanted) at a time of turmoil at the top of your organisation would be a bad move (even for the RFU).

In the near future Dave Ellis would, for me, be far more an attractive option; but it doesn't matter until the RFU has been reorganised and a steadied ship created.

The jibe about RL northerners doesn’t work as the current England defence coach is “a blunt northerner ex RL man”.

Welsh fans were calling for his head a few short months ago and, up until very recently, Welsh defence hasn't exactly being brilliant in the last year or two. I'm not convinced he's that great. I think the fact he gets on with FatGat is why Wales wanted to keep him.

Also, with him singing controversial Irish folk songs and getting sent home from internationals I'm not sure he's the ideal man to sort out any disciplinary problems!

I'm not a fan tbh, he's only highly thought of as Wales exceeded expectations at the WC.

There's better options about, defence isn't and hasn't really been one of Englands problems over the years.

Isnt Paul Gustard getting lots of Credit for the Sarries defence at the mo....not as high profile...just gets on with his job...

Glas a du wrote:

?

Too late, Glas

then!

SafeAsMilk wrote:Welsh fans were calling for his head a few short months ago

You've made this claim before. I don't recall anyone asking for Shaun Edwards's head. Gatland's yes, but not Shaun Edwards's.

You'll have to take my word for it, I'm not trawling through the archives chief!

No, don't bother doing that, it's not that important really.

Isnt Paul Gustard getting lots of Credit for the Sarries defence at the mo....not as high profile...just gets on with his job... .

He would be my first choice as an England fan. Get the monster Sarries kick chase and the suffocating line speed going and the English defence will be one to be wary of. Add to that Barritt runs the defence at Sarries and would be in a prime position to take on the job for England (he is the form IC) and having Manu in that defensive line with Barritt would be brutal.

Edwards is apparently mulling over a deal to work for Tigers one day a week, although, the rumours are that Cockerill isn't as keen as the board are.

You've made this claim before. I don't recall anyone asking for Shaun Edwards's head. Gatland's yes, but not Shaun Edwards's..

I do remember the Howley and Edwards bashing by some Welsh fans during the 6N when the team was not playing well. They turned it around for the warm ups and the RWC and then they were fan favourites.

No need to bother trwaling through the archives "safe as". You have indeed made this claim before. You were wrong then and you're wrong now.

How long has he been Wales defence coach, 4 years or so. In that time they have leaked tries like a sieve. Only this last year or so have they tightened up.

Look at England’s recent form against them, even with a totally inept attack coach, useless centres and a mismatched back row we have still scored about two tries a game if not more.

England's coaches may be rubbish, but generally their defence has been sound, it has been the discipline that has been the problem, too many penalties.

SafeAsMilk wrote:Welsh fans were calling for his head a few short months ago and, up until very recently, Welsh defence hasn't exactly being brilliant in the last year or two. I'm not convinced he's that great. I think the fact he gets on with FatGat is why Wales wanted to keep him.

Also, with him singing controversial Irish folk songs and getting sent home from internationals I'm not sure he's the ideal man to sort out any disciplinary problems!

I don't remember anyone calling for Edward's head, our defense has been brillant recently. When England last played us in Cardiff you had ridiculous amounts of possession and we held you back for the majority of the game.

Players like Faletau didn't miss 1 tackle in the entire world cup, Charteris,Lydiate put in ridiculous amounts of tackles

by WELL-PAST-IT Today at 12:39 pm


How long has he been Wales defence coach, 4 years or so. In that time they have leaked tries like a sieve. Only this last year or so have they tightened up.

Look at England’s recent form against them, even with a totally inept attack coach, useless centres and a mismatched back row we have still scored about two tries a game if not more.

England's coaches may be rubbish, but generally their defence has been sound, it has been the discipline that has been the problem, too many penalties.

Your defense was awful vs France. You had your own players tackling each other at one point. You also leaked 3 tries to our 2 when we played you at 'HQ'

I'd rather Dave Ellis myself...

So we have English fans saying "We didn't want him anyway!" and Welsh fans taking the hump at that, even though there would have been a riot if the WRU had allowed him to slip the net!

cabbagesandbrussels wrote:I'd rather Dave Ellis myself...

+1

I wouldn't use the English posters in this thread as the avaerage England fan's opinion, mosty are much more informed and sensible.

luckless_pedestrian wrote:

SafeAsMilk wrote:Welsh fans were calling for his head a few short months ago

You've made this claim before. I don't recall anyone asking for Shaun Edwards's head. Gatland's yes, but not Shaun Edwards's.

Gatland, yes
Howley, yes, and I'm still not convinced
McBride, yes (often)

But cant recall anyone calling for Edwards to go, even when we went through a sticky patch defensively.

tatterd wrote:No need to bother trwaling through the archives "safe as". You have indeed made this claim before. You were wrong then and you're wrong now.
Idiot

Cheers, tatterd. That's your first post and a cracker it is too.

I guess you were just lurking, ready to pounce with that one

Sounds like a real intellect that tatterd, how to come back from that one?

only my first post on v2 squire. good to know you haven't changed though

uh oh - the clown's in town...

Think as others have said, Dave Ellis or Paul Gustard are probably higher on Englands wishlist as defence coach, although, that wishlist is probably under about 20 others right now.

Also, Wales defence has been very hit and miss, the 2008 grandslam was based around a very, very good defence but it fell off for a while, and all of a sudden that mean defence was back for the WC warm-ups and throughout the WC.