Shaun Edwards cites his late mother as motivation as he begins consultancy with Red Roses

Shaun Edwards has begun a consultancy spell with England’s Red Roses this week, working with the squad at Twickenham ahead of Saturday’s WXV Global Series match against New Zealand in front of almost 60,000 spectators. The 59-year-old will remain with the team until the end of the WXV Global Series in October.

England wing Jess Breach, who starts on the wing against the Black Ferns, said the squad wanted reassurance that Edwards had joined to help the women’s game rather than to use it as a stepping stone. “I think probably our biggest question around him coming into the programme was why?” Breach said. “I think a lot of coaches come into women’s teams to potentially bunny-hop and progress into male teams. Not that we don’t like that but we want people to be here because they want to be here and they want to make the programme better and they want us to be better. I think he does want that. He explained the story about his mum and I think it is important and it touched a lot of us, like you do want to be here and you do want to make us better.”

Edwards, described in the squad briefing as a rugby league legend and a hugely decorated defence coach in union, joined on a consultancy basis after leaving the France men’s team this summer. He has said he wanted an insight into the women’s game, having never coached in women’s rugby before, and has been assisting England’s preparations for the New Zealand fixture.

At the start of the week Marlie Packer disclosed that Edwards stood in front of the squad and explained one of his reasons for taking the role was his late mother, Phyllis, who died in 2021 and “did not have the opportunity to play rugby.” He added it was something his mum thought was “incredible” and she “would have loved to have done it.”

England head coach John Mitchell revealed on Thursday that before Edwards arrived he wanted to learn all the players’ names and wanted to see success in the Red Roses’ defensive system. Mitchell said he was learning from Edwards as well, adding: “I am dragging plenty out of him and I am sure he is stealing a few things as well, which is great. As coaches we always want to find something a little bit different that can grow the players or refreshes how you go about things. We are very, very fortunate to have a person of his ability.” Mitchell also said Edwards had brought a “no nonsense” personality to the camp and, while “highly honoured” to be part of England, did not seek the limelight. “I am sure he has been in it [rugby] long enough to not like it, that is the way he goes about it,” Mitchell said. “I think he is also experiencing a culture that allows people to be themselves so I think he enjoys that.”

England arrive at the Twickenham fixture on the back of a 40-game unbeaten run, their consecutive-win record ending last Saturday with a 26-26 draw against Canada. The match against New Zealand represents the immediate challenge for a side integrating Edwards’ input.

Edwards will stay with the Red Roses through the conclusion of the WXV Global Series in October as England prepare to face New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday.