Shaun Edwards: I came close to packing in union
SHAUN Edwards has revealed that he came close to walking away from rugby union after being snubbed by the Lions for their tour of Australia this summer.
Wales's defence coach could be seen celebrating on the pitch after the unforgettable 30-3 victory over England that clinched the Six Nations title.
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Shaun Edwards
But just months earlier he had been thinking of packing in union and returning to rugby league, having seen his long-time coaching partner Warren Gatland choose England's Andy Farrell ahead of him for Lions duty.
"I've had plenty of highs in my professional life - 42 medals as a player, 11 trophies in 12 years as a coach - but the time that tested me most was the three days after discovering that I wasn't going to be part of the Lions coaching squad this summer," he writes in his column in The Guardian newspaper.
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"Whereas 2009 with the Lions in South Africa was one of the big highs, hearing I was not going to be part of the set-up in Australia made me want to chuck the whole lot in.
"There were ideas of turning my back on union, going back to league, possibly even leaving the country to re-learn my trade as an assistant coach with the ARL.
"It took 72 hours to banish those ideas and on Saturday, among the Welsh players and fellow coaching staff, I understood why I did.
"They've been great to me, treating me as one of their own and It's a lucky man who can be part of such a set-up."
Edwards proved a point spectacularly by presiding over a Six Nations defensive effort that saw Wales go a record-breaking 357 minutes without conceding a try.
2 Comments
by deridu
Monday, March 18 2013, 1:18PM
“Our boys will have to remember what Shaun has trained them . this way they will have good results.
They must not let Vickers change to his habits.
Good luck”
by valleyswan
Monday, March 18 2013, 11:33AM
“Not choosing Shaun Edwards as the Lions defence coach is a huge mistake. Phil Vickery it seems is equally baffled by the decision as well. Thank you Shaun for the magnificent work you have done, and I trust will continue to do, for our Wales team.”