Shaun Edwards has spoken of his delight at the prospect of spending at least another four years as an integral part of the Wales national coaching team set-up.
Edwards has committed himself to continue in the role of Wales assistant coach, with responsibility for defence, up to and including the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
The much sought after former Rugby League playing great has shared his time between English Premiership club London Wasps and Wales since 2008, but the new agreement reached with chief executive Roger Lewis makes the WRU his primary employer and will see him extend his role to the Wales National Academy sides and coach at U20s, U18 and U16 level when he is not on national duty.
“From the first moment I came to work for Wales the public accepted me and treated me as one of their own ,”said Edwards, who has two Heineken Cup titles and three English Premiership titles on his coaching CV.
“When I first started coaching I was advised that if you can get your tight five defending well then that will give you a strong defence.
“And one of the things which has really pleased me in the last nine months is that after training has finished I always see our tight five players doing extra sessions practicing their tackling.
“It’s something that I think has been one of our biggest improvements and those players deserve credit for that.
“I also really enjoy working with the back row we have in Wales and as a defensive coach you are very reliant on your back row.
“At Wasps I was lucky enough to work with the likes of Laurence Dallaglio and Joe Worsley so I learnt a lot from them, in Wales I’ve really enjoyed working with the likes of Jamie Roberts.
“He had never played centre and then switched position and got good enough to go on a Lions tour. He’s been defensive captain for a couple of seasons and he’s great to work with
“In coaching you can’t please everybody. In the end it is the player’s opinions that matter most. You want the fans to respect you and the media to respect you but the main thing is the players.
“I also owe a lot to the other coaches I work with in Wales. Warren Gatland has been a big influence on me. Also my fellow coaches like Rob Howley, Robin McBryde, Neil Jenkins and the staff behind them.
“I’m a person who lives in the here and now and never make plans for the future, so the next thing for me is to help get a win for Wales against Australia in December. We owe them one. They beat us in the world cup.”
Edwards had a glittering career as a rugby league player, featuring 36 times for Great Britain and captaining the Wigan side dubbed the most successful club in the sport’s history.
In international rugby union his appointment alongside Warren Gatland and Rob Howley to the Wales national squad coaching staff coincided with the 2008 RBS 6 Nations Grand Slam and the same coaching unit went on to take charge of the British and Irish Lions’ tour of South Africa in 2009, under Sir Ian McGeechan.
And, with all that experience behind him, Edwards is clear in his assertions about what leads to success in elite sport.
“There’s not secret to it, it’s just hard work,”he said.
“When we won the Grand Slam in 2008 I think the players were surprised at how hard Warren Gatland, myself and Rob Howley and the conditioners all worked.
“They seemed to think there’s some secret but you’ve got to work your backside off. After 2008 maybe we drifted slightly, but now were back on the right path for Welsh rugby
“It’s about working harder than your opposition.
“In Wales we are very well led by our captain. Sam Warburton doesn’t say much but he leads by his actions.
“In my mind coach means teacher. You look at all the great trainers from all sports and there’s a teaching element to what they do.
“Coaching is an art form and I’d like to think I’m slowly getting a bit better at it as I get older.
“But this is a players’ game coaches can make a bit of difference but in the end it’s about playing talent.
“One of the things that particularly excites me about this new extended role with Wales is the opportunity I will have to work with the youngsters at Academy level.
“If I can have a positive influence on them in the way they play their game and their rugby values then hopefully that will pay dividends for them as individuals as well as for the game in Wales.”