Rugby’s great winner – having won seven Six Nations titles as a coach – appears set to leave France
Ever since Shaun Edwards walked away from Welsh rugby in 2019, there has been a longing for the former Great Britain rugby league international to return.
During his 11 years working under Warren Gatland, Edwards oversaw a stingy defence with Wales. Famously, they conceded just two tries during his first Six Nations triumph in 2008.
Then, in 2013, they went through four straight matches without giving up a try.
Understandably given his achievements, Edwards is revered in Wales – perhaps more than the man himself even realises.
With reports in France suggesting he could be set to leave France’s coaching ticket, some Welsh supporters have already urged the Welsh Rugby Union to look into bringing him back.
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Whether that happens remains to be seen, but Edwards has said in the past he would be open to coming back to Wales.
“In the future? Yeah, of course,” he told WalesOnline back in 2022.
“I love the Six Nations competition.
“It’s a competition I judge myself on because it’s the only time you’re competing against teams who have exactly the same preparation.
“It’s just after Christmas when everyone is a bit miserable.
“It’s a historic competition where all the great coaches and players have been in.”
Edwards left in 2019 alongside Gatland, having led Wales to number one in the world that year.
The Wigan-native nearly stayed on under Wayne Pivac, although he ultimately ended up joining France after a move back to rugby league fell through.
Even now, letting Edwards go is regarded as a major misstep by the WRU.
Edwards himself believed that Wales’ coaching group shouldn’t have been moved on following the 2019 World Cup – which resulted in a second semi-final.
“I’m surprised they didn’t give him a contract in the first place,” said Edwards after Gatland returned to the post in 2022.
“We’d just won 14 matches on the bounce, got to a World Cup semi-final, won a Grand Slam and then everyone lost their job.
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