Shaun Edwards, the defensive mastermind behind France’s back-to-back Six Nations titles, offered his services to England rugby, and head coach Steve Borthwick turned him down. This isn’t just a casual snub, either: England has won only one game for the first time since 1987, and the clamor for Edwards to join was LOUD.
Borthwick’s Shocking “No, Thanks”
Edwards, a man with *seven* Six Nations titles as an assistant under his belt, revealed on the Rugby Union Weekly podcast that he had a “good chat with Steve over the phone.” Borthwick was apparently “very, very honest” and told Edwards he was “happy with his staff and the way things have been going.” Edwards, ever the professional, said he respected that. But get this: he also told Borthwick that if anything changed, he’d be there, ready to work. “I said to Steve he can make me assistant kit man and I’ll be there,” Edwards quipped, showing exactly how much he wanted to help.
From Red Roses to Pumas: Edwards Keeps Grinding
It’s not like Edwards is sitting around waiting for the phone to ring. After his French stint, he was hired by the England women’s team, the Red Roses, in September for a short-term gig. He just left them last week, though, because he’s now signed on as Argentina’s defense coach until the end of the Rugby World Cup next year. The 60-year-old guru is already diving into his new role, saying he can definitely help the Pumas. He sees their defensive system as “very similar” to his own, just needing “a little bit of detail in certain positions.” His main focus for them? Discipline. He pointed out they’ve had a “habit of giving a lot penalties at rucks away because they were so aggressive and so pumped up.” He wants them to “play rugby with a bit more of a level head.” You gotta respect that drive!
And here’s the kicker: Edwards admitted he’s surprised he hasn’t landed a head coach job with a test side yet, despite all his experience. He even felt he was good enough for the Wales job back in 2019 when Warren Gatland moved on, but they went with Wayne Pivac instead. So, he “went on to something which I’d always wanted to do, which is to help France.”
Edwards’ new squad, Argentina, is back in action this Friday in Dublin for the Nations Championship, facing off against Ireland. And guess what? In two weeks, Edwards will have a reunion with his former French staff when Argentina heads to Paris. But don’t expect him to be all sentimental. The man said he’s more excited about Argentina’s next training session than catching up with old friends. That’s the kind of focus you need to turn a team around. Borthwick might regret this decision for a long, long time.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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