Shaun Edwards

What has happened to Shaun Edwards in the Wales setup? I know he's still there, but a while back he used to be a very vocal and visible member of the team. Almost as vocal as Gats. The players feared the Edwards backlash after a soft defensive showing, and he'd talk about it in the media, we'd see training sessions with him screaming like a loon at the team, etc.

Nowadays he rarely seems to be interviewed. Are they hiding him away? Has he been banned from speaking to the media? Is he still reeling at being overlooked for the Lions trip, leading to a bit of a fallout with Gats??? And overlooked for the Japan tour (I think McBride was in charge).

I just find it odd that he's become so 'invisible' of late.

And just for fun, my favourite bit of Shaun Edwards trivia which always surprises me for some reason: Edwards used to be married to Heather Small from pop group M People! Ha!

I think if Shaun has been silenced or sidelined then if Gatland is the man responsible for minimising his role, that's a bad move.  What we're seeing is a Wales not up for the fight (yet!) and if Edward's is the missing ingredient then people will be saying Edwards is the ingredient ...and always has been.  So it's dangerous for Gatland to isolate him.  

Even if the relationship is bad and Edwards has still a central role...is his heart in it anymore?  

I for one would rate him as possibly more central to Welsh success than Gatland has been... as you say, he's the one pushing the fury into the team.  I saw it that day before the England v Wales game. He was on fire as he put the guys through their paces pre-game.

If Gatland has lost his (Edward's) emotional involvement maybe he's in bigger trouble than any of us thought.

I agree Fly. His passion has been personified in our ferocious defense in the last few years.

Would you agree though that he's been a bit less visible? As in, do we see less of him with team wales, on the TV, in the papers, etc? He never seems to be in the press conferences post match either.

Maybe I've just stopped paying attention!

Griff wrote:I agree Fly. His passion has been personified in our ferocious defense in the last few years.

Would you agree though that he's been a bit less visible? As in, do we see less of him with team wales, on the TV, in the papers, etc? He never seems to be in the press conferences post match either.

Maybe I've just stopped paying attention!

But just like BOD...and I don't want to go there.... but just taking the dynamics of that and pin it to Edwards.  

He must have felt a sense of betrayal that he wasn't taken to Australia.  He can't have been unmoved by the implied slight of that.  As a coach, as a proud man, as a man who probably felt he was central to getting Gatland the job in the first place.... it must have hit him emotionally.
I know The Lions is a political job as much as a sporting one - and balance is expected even though it might not be mentioned.  Every nation needs representation and Gatland will maybe claim Edwards had to suffer the consequences of that.  

But I remember all the conversations going on in the lead up to the tour.  Welsh fans here were saying Gatland was in a tough position...he's almost forced to have a sizeable Welsh contingent or else if he's seen to prioritise other National players that decision could come back to hurt him when he returned to Welsh rugby.  People were asking how he could motivate his players to play for him if he had implied by his selections that he felt there were better players out there.  So Gatland was in a Catch 22 situation according to quite a few Welsh posters - I distinctly remember those opinions.  

But - if that is so - then you might consider Edwards too a 'player' that was left behind, that Gatland wants him to renew his work with these players but he was excess baggage on the Lions tour itself.

There must be a level of bitterness there somewhere - he's human.  Edwards is very human! - emotional.

I do know that Edwards was keen to take on the caretaker role while Gats was away (both with the Lions and his weird 'not working but loitering' thing he did before the Lions started). He was overlooked in favour of Howley for the 6N, but even worse was not given the role for the summer when pretty much all the other Welsh coaches went with the Lions. McBride took that role. Ouch!

I also seem to remember him turning down a role in England as he wanted to be a head coach or something similar, rather than assistant or defence coach. Was it the Saxons??? He doesn't seem to have had much luck lately.

So do you think he might be on his way out of Wales and away from his long relationship with Gatland before WC? If things are strained...things are strained. Sometimes the break is the only solution

He turned down the Saxons as he wanted the full England job but didn't want to leave wasps. I personally think that the recent (post2008) success have heavily been built on defence. Smothering constrictive defence that caused mistakes and were pounced on. That was Edwards. From what I've seen I don't think he would make a great number one (better than McBride?) but an excellent number 2.

Edit: is he still with Irish?

Wasn't he give the job with Wales on the understanding that he would be head coach when Gatland left after 2 years or so, and go for the Abs head coach job. Or have i got that wrong?

I think that Gatland having more success than what many people thought he would get. as left Edwards a bit shocked that he has not been promoted.

majesticimperialman wrote:Wasn't he give the job with Wales on the understanding that he would be head coach when Gatland left after 2 years or so, and go for the Abs head coach job. Or have i got that wrong?

I think that Gatland having more success than what many people thought he would get. as left Edwards a bit shocked that he has not been promoted.

Are you saying this is Blair and Brown again? And who is the spin doctor that will be required to keep the press guessing?

majesticimperialman wrote:Wasn't he give the job with Wales on the understanding that he would be head coach when Gatland left after 2 years or so, and go for the Abs head coach job. Or have i got that wrong?

I think that Gatland having more success than what many people thought he would get. as left Edwards a bit shocked that he has not been promoted.

Never heard of that. Where on earth have you got that from? Seems a very strange rumour.

It seems to presuppose that Gatland felt very confident (even at contract signing time) that he'd do enough with Wales in 2 Years to be automatically called up to the AB job.

Even Gatland isn't that cocky Is he?

I remember seeing on the 09 lions dvd Gatland (forwards coach) telling his players he was going to get a bo***king from his defence coach (Edwards) after they let in a number of soft tries they let in.
It certainly seems its not a master and apprentice relationship although perhaps thats they he was sidelined a little. If he was a "yes" man then I'm sure he would have gone on the Lions tour or at worst led the Japan tour.

I can't imagine Edwards ever being a yes man. Except in terms of, 'Yes, I am about to speak my mind and yes, you may be in for some pain'.

I have noticed that he's been less visible of late.

Can we have him up north please?

Edwards is the next Wales or England coach. Simple as that. He only didn't go on the Lions because Farrell was the political pick. Japan was a development tour with the results being almost irrelevant.
The prize for Edwards is Wales if and when Gatland decides he wants to be an air hostess or England if, sorry, when, England get knocked out of the RWC group stage.

Howely would be the next Wales coach. Unlike Gatland and Edwards he actually wants the job for a start.

Scratch wrote:Edwards is the next Wales or England coach. Simple as that. He only didn't go on the Lions because Farrell was the political pick. Japan was a development tour with the results being almost irrelevant.
The prize for Edwards is Wales if and when Gatland decides he wants to be an air hostess or England if, sorry, when, England get knocked out of the RWC group stage.

How come Howley and then McBride were selected ahead of him to lead Wales in Gats' absence???

One things for sure, he wont be the next Ireland manager!

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:One things for sure, he wont be the next Ireland manager!

Why? And who?

Would England fans want him to replace Farrell after the 2015 WC? Or even going totaly mad Lancaster to get promoted and Edwards to come in as head coach?

yappysnap wrote:Would England fans want him to replace Farrell after the 2015 WC? Or even going totaly mad Lancaster to get promoted and Edwards to come in as head coach?

NO. TOO EITHER ONE.
.