News about Shaun Edwards

CHRIS FOY - WORLD OF RUGBY: Never mind a merger of leagues in union, it's time to be far more radical, by considering a merger between league and union. Reunite the codes, after more than a century apart. That is not a typing error. Most consider it unthinkable, but officials across rugby's historic divide should be considering the possibility of creating one version of the game, as a means of staying vibrant and relevant. Stop scrapping for a slice of the sporting market, in a time of volatility and change. Any honest assessment, with sentiment removed from the equation, would conclude that there just isn't enough space for two codes to thrive - and both have their value.

SIR CLIVEWOODWARD: I thought the first two games of Six Nations' 'Super Saturday' were quite disappointing. The tournament's last game of the 2024 Championships was also alive. The England-France match was fantastic. By the time it was announced, Ireland had already deservedly claimed the title. But Steve Borthwick's team and France produced a special 80 minutes. It was clear to me how both teams mingled at the last whistle and discussed a game to remember. We're here discussing the positive way England has played, not just about pick.

DAN BIGGAR: Shaun Edwards was our defense coach during the bulk of my Wales career. When Shaun came to the Six Nations in 2008, he brought a blitz defense, which was a major piece of our Six Nations' success for a long time. A blitz defense is a game-changer when it works well. In short, it involves your defensive line being up as quickly as possible to put pressure on the opposing ball carrier. The intention is to shut down their time and space on the ball and make commotions.

JASON WHITE: France is already under pressure for just one match in these Six Nations, and it will only grow if Scotland beat Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday afternoon. The French people would have been hoping to see their team recover after a disappointing home World Cup, but instead, Ireland's opening-day pummelling has the team on the backfoot in this Championship. Fabien Galthie's team has already been strongly chastised back home, and back-to-back losses are unthinkable for his team at this point.

CALUM CROWE: Wounded by a record-breaking loss to Ireland, the absence of the world's best player has made this tougher. Scotland will go hunting at Murrayfield this afternoon, with a strong stench of French blood in the air. The wounds from Les Bleus' mauling in Marseille are deep. The reaction in France media this week has been tumultuous, with Battered 38-17 by the Irish on the first night. Maxime Lucu, who started scrum-half against Ireland, with actor Antoine Dupont opting not to attend this year's Six Nations as he focuses on the Sevens in the Paris Olympics in the summer.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD - WORLD CUP WINNING COACH: One of my favorite quotes is: "Great teams are made of great people." I've always thought the best players thrived under pressure in my coaching career. I would be putting the most pressure on the team if I were in Steve Borthwick's shoes as England head coach tonight. There will be no major Churchillian address made. I would tell this England squad that if every individual does their jobs properly, we will beat South Africa and guarantee a spot in the World Cup final. For every player and staff member of the Stade de France, there will be a lot of pressure. You do not want to be the one who lets the team down. Every person must win their one-on-one match. England are still strong underdogs, but if they do that, there is every chance of an upset. You are either the chaser or the one being chased in international rugby. This is what makes this game so interesting. The Englanders are usually the ones being chased. Everyone wants to beat England. If we like it or not as a nation, it is not going to change, so we may as well embrace it.

NIK SIMON: Antoine Dupont, France's captain, has an appointment with a facial mask specialist who may help him return to the World Cup quarter finals. On Thursday night, the celebrity scrum-half fractured his cheekbone and underwent surgery on Friday after spending the night in hospital. On Saturday, French coach Shaun Edwards revealed that the No9 is aiming for a comeback for the knockout stages of the tournament.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: The reaction was prompt and empathetic. When asked if he was ready for the size of France's World Cup opener in Paris on Friday, Shaun Edwards said he was unsure. Stupid question. "I was 17, mate, in front of 100,000 people," the decorated cross-code symbol said on his first grand celebration with home-town club Wigan in rugby league. 'Trust me, when you are 17-and-a-half, standing in that tunnel, and not even playing in your normal position… it was a bit hairy-scary! We didn't win that day.' In 1984, Widnes was against Widnes. At the time, I was the youngest player to ever play at Wembley Stadium. We went back to Wigan, against Hull, and got the job done the year after.

Exclusive BY ALEX BYWATER: Joe Worsley, a fan of English rugby, has been left worried not only by the national team's woes, but also the country's domestic game. The outlook is bleak. England's World Cup preparations, which begin in France next week, have seen Steve Borthwick's side reach new lows.

BY NIK SIMON IN PARIS, an exclusive interview: The restaurant manager of the Gare du Nord knows who is coming. 'Bernard Laporte? We'll open a private area for him,' says the boss. We're about to speak with one of rugby's most controversial figures, and there will be a few cautions along the way. He was found guilty of financial favouritism to Mohed Altrad in a multi-million pound contract to fund the national team, leaving his diplomatic positions untenable.

This was supposed to be a day to remember for Dewi Lake, but in some ways, it would always be that after he captained his country for the first time at senior level. However, the young hooker would not have been excited about a premature departure from Twickenham with a troubling knee injury. Louvain and her sister Iola-Belle had a last-gasp dash back from Magaluf's clubs for this game.

COMMENT: The shock is seismic. The landscape of English rugby has been drastically changed at a stroke. Wasps are no longer available. Gone. The sport's marquee name has been misspelled. And so much in this season of turbulence and upheaval, it's difficult to comprehend. As the struggling but beloved club went into administration last fall under a mountain of debt, there were soon encouraging signs of a forthcoming revival. Saviours have appeared, or at least it seemed. However, those who wanted to resuscitate Wasps were unable to find a way to do so. They've been looking for a solution for months and months, but the numbers don't add up.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: The decision to dismiss Freddie Steward in England's loss to Ireland and the subsequent rescinding of his red card sums up the state of rugby right now. Both on the field and in the stands, confusion reigns. It's a mess. Any prospective attempt to make the game safer must be made, and it goes without saying that no attempt can be made to make the game safer. Any discussion should begin with player wellbeing. But the decision to dismiss Steward hasn't made the game safer. It makes you ask yourself the question 'What on earth is happening in our sport?' We're already getting so many things wrong. That includes significant referee calls.

On Saturday afternoon, England will face reigning Six Nations champions France in what promises to be no easy challenge. Raphael Ibanez's side will be bolstered by outstanding talent throughout the playing field and will put Steve Borthwick's England hopefuls to the test. And here, Sportsmail's CHRIS FOY has reviewed three of the France stars to watch out for at Twickenham.

CHRIS FOY: This was particularly difficult after a weekend when the three winning teams were far from imperious - so much so that the original version of this composite XV featured a different half-back pairing. On reflection, the first draft was sent with France's Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack selected in tandem, but it seemed to be a mistake. Dupont was not as majestic as normal, but the Gallic captain made a critical turnover and displayed some glimpses of his brilliance. He scored a try, but was unable to assert himself in the second half before being replaced.

Scotland's undefeated opening 20 minutes came to an end in Paris as their undefeated start to the Guinness Six Nations campaign came to an end. When Scotland went behind after only three minutes, they got off to a bad start to the game. After some solid carrying by the French forwards, the French kicked to the corner, and No. 10 Romain Ntamack scored.

Mike Forshaw has his work cut out after being inspired by Shaun Edwards' footsteps with Wales, but the two men are not afraid to refer to a spade as a spade. Edwards was a vital part of Wales' three Nations grand slams under Warren Gatland's leadership, and he's now working in France as a defence coach. Now it's Forshaw who's playing the part under Gatland. The former Sale assistant, Tim Huston, pleaded with Wales to cut out the "nonsense" that caused their 34-10 defeat by world No. 1 Ireland yesterday.

SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: The great thing about the Six Nations in a World Cup year is that it's also bigger and better. I truly believe we will see the best World Cup in rugby history in 2023 because there are three northern hemisphere nations - France, Ireland, and England - who could win it, and there are three key southern hemisphere teams that are getting better all the time. The best way for one of the home nations to lay down a marker for the World Cup is to win the Six Nations - ideally with a Grand Slam.

What an oval-ball year it has been, with epic feats on the field and several alarming and seismic events that have highlighted the game's precarious and turbulent nature. Over the past 12 months, rugby has veered remarkably between extremes; with scandal and chaos, exciting matches and grand occasions, Rugby has erupted. Here, Sportsmail looks back at some of the key events along the way…

England's draw with New Zealand was a huge missed opportunity, much like the team's fall series so far. Eddie Jones' side has to beat South Africa on Saturday to show that they have made strides this November and perhaps even this year. I've already expressed disappointment and dissatisfaction with Marcus Smith's decision to kick the ball out at the end of the All Blacks game and ask for a share of the spoils. England settled for a draw, feeling that they were content with being second best, much like the RFU, which is not moving heaven and earth to say Shaun Edwards is in not able to move heaven and earth to join them as coach.

ExCLUSIVE BY SIMON: After the coach decided to work with France for four years, Shaun Edwards' hopes of recruiting him have been shattered. Edwards was a member of the RFU last year and was rumored to play for England after next year's World Cup. However, the 56-year-old declared in his Sportsmail column, 'I'm delighted to sign.' It's all been planned and dusted. I'll always be curious about coaching England, or even returning to Wales, but now my sole focus is on France.'

Sir Clive Woodward, Danny Cipriani, and Shaun Edwards, two sportsmail columnists, address some of the most pressing topics leading into the fall campaign with rugby reporter Chris Foy. England and other home nations, as well as France, will be hoping to lay down a marker with less than a year to go to the World Cup.

Princess Diana's (right) tragic death in 1997 brought the entire nation Kingdom into mourning, and only one sporting match was allowed to be played in the aftermath: a Super League game (inset) starring Australian NRL stars organised by Sir Richard Branson (pictured left with Diana). Her death stunned the world when the beloved Royal figure died in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997; one of the first British government's first moves was to call off all sporting clashes that day.

DANNY CIPRIANI: When Eddie Jones (left) criticized English rugby's private school system, he had some point. In that it does not have enough children from council estates or state schools, the game in this region does have a class and participation problem. At times, a class bias is apparent. Talent is being lost as a result. This result came from the top of the Rugby Football Union, and it is not the fault of the schooling system. Because of their education, Eddie said that English rugby players who are educated privately do not have the confidence or ability to deal with adversity.