Shaun Edwards: I'm close to a deal

Mar 30 2008 by Simon Roberts, Wales On Sunday

SHAUN EDWARDS’ future with Wales will be thrashed out this week.

And Warren Gatland’s right-hand man, speaking exclusively to Wales on Sunday, believes he will be “sticking with Wales.”

He also revealed the RFU have not been in touch about him joining England’s expanded coaching staff.

“I haven’t been approached by England,” said Edwards.

“I want to do the right thing by Wales and I am pretty hopeful this will all be resolved pretty soon.

“I haven’t put a time frame on it, but I see myself sticking with Wales.

“Discussion are still going on, but I see no reason why things won’t be sorted out.

“But my focus is with Wasps now until the end of the season.”

Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Roger Lewis will hold talks with Edwards and his club side London Wasps in a bid to sort out their ongoing contract negotiations on Monday.

Lewis said: “I spoke to Shaun on Friday and we have planned a conference call for Monday between all the parties.

“Shaun has a contract with Wasps and he has always said that his first duty is to them.

“Now we know this relationship can work, we have to build on it. We have made no secret that we want Shaun with Wales up until the 2011 World Cup.

“We now have to complete the legal process and make sure all three parties – Shaun, Wasps and Wales – are happy.

“I am confident this will be resolved in the coming weeks – everybody wants to get this signed off as quickly as possible.”

Wales want Edwards to sign a contract, running alongside his current one with Wasps, until the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.

All parties have agreed a deal in principle, but the legal niceties have still not been finalised.

Among the details, the WRU have agreed to pay Wasps a £60,000 compensation package for Edwards’ time away with Wales.

But the rugby league legend, who played a key role in Wales’ 2008 Grand Slam success, has put himself heavily in the spotlight with his success with club and country.

And it is understood England’s World Cup-winning captain Martin Johnson is keen to recruit Edwards, if he accepts a new role as national team manager.

Edwards dismissed any notion that he was waiting for England to make him an offer.

“If there is one thing I have learnt in life it is that you don’t look too far ahead,” said Edwards.

“I live my life day by day and try to live in the moment. When you do plan too far ahead things have a way of coming back and biting you.”

Lewis is convinced Wales won’t be ‘gazumped’ by England and lose Edwards.

“Shaun is a very special person,” said Lewis. “He has deep-rooted and very old-fashioned values and being good to his word is important to him.

“He is a man of incredible integrity and honesty and that is why he is so widely respected.”

Edwards has admitted he feels a strong bond with Wales – as proved by the sight of him walking around the Millennium Stadium after their Grand Slam victory over France.

As a rugby league man he can clearly identify with the rugby culture in Wales.

“I was delighted to be a part of what we achieved,” said Edwards. “The players and all the staff were excellent to work with and we were totally unified as a group.

“The players were incredible to me and the whole nation should be proud of them.

“It was a very special day and my son, his mother and my mother were all there for the France game.

“I have been lucky in my life to have moments like that with Wigan and Wasps, and now with Wales.

“That day with Wales was a very special one.”

The revelation that Edwards has not signed on the dotted line with Wales after this season’s Grand Slam success left the WRU facing all sorts of questions about why they hadn’t snapped him up – and added to a list of high-profile contractual problems.

Mike Ruddock, who coached Wales to the Grand Slam in 2005, left his position due to a contract wrangle within a year.

Andrew Hore, the former Wales fitness coach, who was expected to be the WRU’s Elite Performance Director, is another who couldn’t agree a deal with the WRU. Edwards, though, is understood to have asked his club Wasps and Wales to allow him to see if he could combine both roles before making a commitment to be part of Warren Gatland’s new set-up.

He is now happy he can successfully combine both jobs, and manage the time and travel involved.

“Shaun has made this work,” said Lewis. “He has been as good as his word and Ian McGeechan deserves a special mention because he has been so supportive.”