Former England international James Haskell has suggested that the Rugby Football Union (RFU) might turn to Shaun Edwards following Andy Farrell's decision to extend his contract with Ireland. Farrell recently signed a new deal keeping him with Ireland until 2031, ending speculation about a potential move to Twickenham amid uncertainty over Steve Borthwick's long-term future as England head coach.
Farrell's commitment ends speculation
There had been rumors that the RFU might not extend Borthwick's contract beyond next year, with Farrell previously tipped as a possible successor. However, Farrell's new contract has taken him off the market, leaving England to explore other options.
Edwards emerges as potential candidate
Shaun Edwards, the former Wales defence coach, is set to leave his role with France, making him available. Speaking on The Good, The Bad, and the Rugby podcast, Haskell said: "It's going to break all the hearts of all the people that want to fire Borthwick and get Andy Farrell in because he's still off the menu. But there is another man that they might get."
Haskell added: "I have a very small intuition that Shaun Edwards might end up with England. He's leaving France. He's obviously available. We don't know why he's left or what's happened. But if you had someone like that in the mix, who has a track record of in short time periods getting the best out of a team emotionally, defensively. His strategies work in a very quick period of time."
Edwards' strengths and potential impact
Haskell praised Edwards' ability to connect with players and create a motivating environment. "Shaun is extremely smart. He emotionally understands how to connect and he specialises in creating a fun aggressive environment. He's also very good at mobilising the mob. That's why Warren and Shaun were doing well on Lions tours and coming in with Wasps," Haskell explained.
He noted that Edwards has continued to develop his coaching skills over time. "I think Shaun's gone off now to different teams. I always remember him trying to upskill himself. So if you were going to give England the best winning chance, throw him in. It'll either go one of two ways, but he is notoriously fantastic at delivering in that short time and turning things around."
Potential complications with current staff
Haskell acknowledged that bringing in Edwards could create challenges with the existing coaching setup. "The issue is then when you bring someone else in, the ruthless thing is you would go, 'This is Shaun Edwards. He's won more trophies than anyone. This is what he does. This is what he can do in a short period of time. I'm very sorry, but it's a no-brainer. You have to be out'," he said.
However, Haskell predicted that the RFU might instead shuffle roles to keep everyone involved, which could lead to complications. "What will probably happen is if he does get him, he'll shuffle someone else to give someone another job to keep them all together because it'll be unfair and harsh. That's when it becomes complicated," he added.
There has been no official confirmation on Edwards' departure from France, but podcast host Alex Payne revealed that sources indicate an announcement is expected this week. Haskell believes that if the RFU is willing to be decisive, Edwards could be a game-changing addition for England.
