So is Shaun Edwards heading to Wigan Warriors or not?

Wales coach Shaun Edwards has not finalised his next move after the World Cup, with an agreed switch to rugby league side Wigan appearing off the table.
Shaun Edwards on his unveiling as Wigan Warriors coach from the 2020 season, but he says no contract has been signed?Shaun Edwards on his unveiling as Wigan Warriors coach from the 2020 season, but he says no contract has been signed?
Shaun Edwards on his unveiling as Wigan Warriors coach from the 2020 season, but he says no contract has been signed?

Wales’ defensive guru claimed his 50th career winners’ medal as player and coach as Warren Gatland’s men sealed the Guinness Six Nations Grand Slam with a 25-7 victory over Ireland in Cardiff.

The 52-year-old will depart his Wales post after the autumn’s World Cup when he insisted he will be a free agent despite having previously agreed a deal with Super League side Wigan.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“On my future, my next step really is to sign a contract, I haven’t signed a contract with anybody yet,” said Edwards.

“I haven’t signed a contract. The only team I’m not going to go to is Wales, because the new coach is going in a different direction.

“He wants to do something different. So that’s where I’m at at the moment. So as it stands, come the end of the World Cup I’m unemployed. So that’s where I am.”

Head coach Gatland will leave Wales after the World Cup along with Edwards, with Scarlets boss Wayne Pivac taking the helm for 2020.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Edwards spent 14 years with Wigan as a player in a stunning rugby league career where he earned 36 Great Britain caps.

He agreed a deal with Wigan nine months ago, but Edwards revealed the Super League club never produced a contract for him to sign.

He could now return to Wasps, where Edwards’ previous spell as a coach – under Gatland – and then head coach returned two European Cups and four Premiership titles.

“I agreed with Wigan and thought we would sign a contract,” said Edwards.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“But then Wigan said, ‘it’s OK, we’ll sign one later’, and I thought that was unusual.

“And that was nine months 
ago.

“I agreed to go to Wigan, but I never signed a contract.

“I’ll consider all offers, league, union.

“All I can say is that I haven’t signed anything with anybody.”

Italy’s losing sequence in the Guinness Six Nations extended to a record 22 matches but France were pushed all the way before prevailing 25-14 at the Stadio Olimpico.