Shaun Edwards signs for London Irish.

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/17996720

If he can turn Ian Humphreys into even an adequate defender the man will truly be a genius. Obviously likes a challange

Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards joins London Irish

From the BBC

Shaun Edwards is to join Premiership club London Irish as defence coach.

Edwards, defence coach for the Wales national team, will replace Toby Booth at the Exiles, but will continue his work with the Six Nations champions.

"He's a great asset for us and I'm personally excited about working with him," London Irish director of rugby Brian Smith told BBC Radio Berkshire.

The Exiles announced on Tuesday that Booth, Justin Bishop and Neal Hatley had left the coaching staff.

Edwards, 45, has not coached at club level since leaving London Wasps in November 2011 and his capture is a great coup for the club, who finished seventh in this season's Premiership


Good coup for the exiles, wish he'd have picked a Welsh region to improve but dems the breaks

Great signing for LI. Hopefully this could be the start of his slow migration back to English rugby....and then to the international setup...?

bluestonevedder wrote:Great signing for LI. Hopefully this could be the start of his slow migration back to English rugby....and then to the international setup...?

Good luck with that

Dag nabbit!!!

I was rather hopeful that Glaws could entice him. As our recent game against Irish showed, it is us who needs the defence coach!! Great signing for Irish.

Great signing for LI. Hopefully this could be the start of his slow migration back to English rugby....and then to the international setup...?

Not sure about that. He made his intentions clear when he a) turned down the RFU after Johnno took over and b) signed the new contract with Wales.

Problem he's got is he doesn't want to be pigeoned as a defence coach, he wants the English NT job long term, not sure this is the best move for him, but I suppose now Wales are top of the world he needs a new challenge and Irish will be a huge challenge!!

Typical, Reading Irish get Edwards and Bath get Ford!!!!

Ford doesn't have a 2nd higher tier job elsewhere though, Edwards will be missing for long periods with Wales and Lions duties.

Edwards will simply create a plan, impliment it and spend as much time as possible adapting, which may not be long enough to actually turn it into anything of note.

Thats very true Blueman, I would have rathered Bath got Dave Ellis in truth.

but I suppose now Wales are top of the world he needs a new challenge and Irish will be a huge challenge!!

Top of the world , a promising RWC showing and a grand slam and Wales are top of the world? They might need to beat a SH team at some point and NZ might have a thing to say about the 'top of the world' claim.

LI have good foundations, the academy there is pumping out talented players and they have made some good signings ahead of next season (a tighthead might still be on their list of wants). Smith is an inventive attack coach and doesn't do things in an orthodox manner so Edwards will have to be flexible as well as trying to find ways to calm down some of the hot heads in the squad and add the key organisation that the searing LI attack can lack at times.

munkian wrote:

bluestonevedder wrote:Great signing for LI. Hopefully this could be the start of his slow migration back to English rugby....and then to the international setup...?

Good luck with that

It's completely wishful thinking!!

Shame the Blues couldn't have got him - or a regional job so he supports all of the regions on a bit part basis.

Sam

Are Wales not top of the NH??? And is the NH not on top of the SH geographically speaking???

Hence top of the world!

thebluesmancometh wrote:Sam

Are Wales not top of the NH??? And is the NH not on top of the SH geographically speaking???

Hence top of the world!

OK OK off topic slightly.

My point is Edwards has done a fantastic job with a young welsh defence, and now he has resigned they are looking to break into the top 3, that'll occupy him pretty heavily, as well as an exciting lions tour.

thebluesmancometh wrote:Sam

Are Wales not top of the NH??? And is the NH not on top of the SH geographically speaking???

Hence top of the world!

By that logic, the much feared and barbaric Inuit team of the Artic are the best team in the world....

Or strictly considering 6N teams, Scotland are the best....

Well I didn't say best did I?

True true, you didn't. Honest mistake.

I'll amend.

'Or strictly considering 6N teams, Scotland are top of the world...'

Well I didn't say best did I?

You said 'top of the world' which seemingly implied it.

The north is only the top if you hold the map the wrong way up.

Got to say Edwards working with Wales and Wasps didn't work particularly well (except for that initial improvement from the sorry state Jenkins left them in). We'll have to see if it works this time. Of course it all depends on coaching combinations

Got to say Edwards working with Wales and Wasps didn't work particularly well

He ended up being left as head coach though, there was a lot of responsibility dumped on his shoulders and really with a combination of the two jobs he really didn't need the club job to be full time.

True

Smith seems to have managed to transfer £700k from backroom to playing budget. If they get a decent forwards coach and a couple of decent forwards (including a top quality TH) to go with him then they are real contenders for the top 4.

Any top quality tight heads out there though who aren't signed? There just aren't that many good props looking for clubs these days.

Tighthead props are a commodity that most rugby teams want to hoard, the good ones don't come onto the market very often and when they do the French teams throw big money at them.