Shaun Edwards sometimes overstepped the mark with his training methods (Image: Getty)
Tom Shanklin has shed light on the unconventional coaching methods of Shaun Edwards, which were sometimes so extreme that they prompted Warren Gatland to instruct his players to ignore them. Edwards helped secure four titles and three Grand Slams during his 11-year tenure as defence coach, with players thriving thanks to his often unorthodox approach.
The 58-year-old rugby league legend – whose expertise has been lent to France’s national team since 2020 – was particularly aggressive in his training around contact areas. However, rugby coaching icon Gatland had to step in when he noticed Edwards teaching one “illegal” tactic.
“He did five minutes with the backs on how to carry more aggressively into contact,” said 70-cap former Wales star Shanklin on the . “He was showing us, ‘Ball under there, elbow like that [sticks elbow pointing out], elbow like that [laughing]’.
“So we’re doing it against tackle shields, and after about five minutes, Warren Gatland comes over and says, ‘Shaun, you can’t do that. It’s illegal.’ And he’s just like, ‘alright fine, forget that [room erupts]’.”
Despite this, the Stick to Rugby panel praised Edwards, who is widely regarded as one of the world’s top defence coaches. His contribution was instrumental in ending France’s 12-year wait for a Six Nations title in 2022, when they also clinched a Grand Slam.
Edwards demonstrated his coaching prowess during his tenure at Wasps between 2005 and 2011, securing two Heineken Cups and four Premiership titles. Despite his unconventional methods, the results speak for themselves.
Warren Gatland had to tell Edwards to ease up on his “illegal” tactics (Image: David Rogers/Getty Images)
This was evidenced when France trounced Wales 38-0 in the first match of this year’s Six Nations last Friday. Les Bleus delivered a crushing defeat to Edwards’ former team in a game that was even more one-sided than anticipated.
Fabien Galthie’s side face an even tougher challenge this Saturday as they head to Twickenham. They stormed to a commanding 53-10 victory in their last visit to in 2023 – the highest score they’ve ever achieved there.
It goes without saying that Edwards will have Galthie’s men ready to employ every tactic necessary to replicate that result in Week 2 of the 2025 tournament. And with France on the brink of clinching four consecutive victories over England for the first time since 1998, their defensive guru is eyeing another Grand Slam.