Shaun Edwards back in England as RFU told to urgently act

Here are the latest rugby headlines on Sunday, May 31.

Edwards in England as RFU urged to make move

Shaun Edwards’ impending exit from France has put a number of major rugby nations on red alert, with the former Wales defence coach back in England amid reports he is about to be let go by the French Rugby Federation two years before the end of his contract.

Edwards was guest of honour at rugby league’s Challenge Cup final at Wembley where his former side Wigan Warriors claimed the trophy, presenting players with their medals as news broke in France of his uncertain future.

Reports in France claim Edwards has lost the full support of head coach Fabien Galthié and is about to be replaced by Gérald Bastide, who previously held the role between 2015 and 2017. Galthié and his assistant coaches recently met in Narbonne to discuss selection ahead of the upcoming friendly against England A and the Nations Cup fixtures against New Zealand, Australia and Japan in July but Edwards was absent.

The RFU will come under huge pressure to make a move for Edwards, who is widely seen as the best English coach England have never had, despite holding tentative talks on more than one occasion. Edwards’ availability comes weeks after head coach Steve Borthwick, who currently has Richard Wigglesworth as his defence coach, survived an internal review after a disastrous Six Nations.

Former England international Andy Goode is among those urging English rugby bosses to make a move immediately.

He said: “If the news of Shaun Edwards parting ways with France rugby are true you’d hope Bill Sweeney (RFU CEO) has the cojones to pick up the phone and offer him a 5 year deal to run through the next 2 World Cups. We can’t miss out on him again!”

As for Wales, they have been without a defence coach since Steve Tandy took over but have now appointed former Scotland international Peter Murchie from this summer.

Edwards has previously spoken of his ambition to coach international rugby in the southern hemisphere and also believes he has the capability to be a head coach at the highest level.

Adams makes Cardiff vow for next season

Josh Adams is adamant Cardiff’s season has been a success and is quietly confident they can kick on next season.

Cardiff reached the United Rugby Championship play-offs for the first time but slipped to a 44-21 quarter-final defeat to the Stormers in Cape Town.

But given all the off field distractions Adams insists finishing in sixth in the league should be viewed as a success for his side.

“We are disappointed with that result but throughout the season we have been excellent,” Adams told S4C.

“We deserved to be in a game like this. We fought very well right until the end. There’s a lot to be said for this young team. There’s a lot of growth for us to do as well.

“We are looking ahead to next season and hopefully we can improve as well. It has been very successful.

“We knew at the start of the season we wanted to finish in the top eight. That was our target and we finished sixth. We’ve been in the top eight throughout the whole season.”

Adams is quietly confident Cardiff will improve next season.

“I think as a group some boys are moving on and there are some new boys coming in over the summer,” he told S4C.

“We just want to build. There’s a lot of growing for this team to do.

“We want to be back here next season as well.”

Munster knocked out of URC play-offs

Bulls ran in six tries as they progressed to the semi-finals of the United Rugby Championship with a comprehensive 45-14 victory over Munster in Pretoria.

The South African side flew out of the traps and scored two tries in the first eight minutes when Embrose Papier crossed under the posts following a neat attack off a scrum penalty advantage before Kurt-Lee Arendse went over to help them into a 14-0 lead.

Handre Pollard slotted a penalty to further extend the Bulls’ lead but Munster responded with a couple of tries of their own through Jack O’Donoghue and Alex Nankivell to narrow the deficit to three points.

Munster’s hard work was undone at the end of the half as the Bulls restored their 17-point lead with two tries before the interval, Johan Grobbelaar striking from close range before Cameron Hanekom scored on the stroke of half-time.

Bulls were threatening to run away it and got their first try of the second half in the 54th minute when Papier claimed his second of the afternoon and the hosts’ fifth.

Stravino Jacobs went over in the corner to round off the scoring with the Bulls’ sixth try of the afternoon to ensure they go through to face Glasgow in the last-four clash.