Shaun Edwards inspired by mum’s memory as he beds in with Red Roses

Shaun Edwards has proven to the Red Roses he “wants to be there and to make the players better” rather than using the women’s game as a stepping stone, according to the England wing Jess Breach.

Edwards, a rugby league legend and hugely decorated defence coach in union, joined up with England on a consultancy basis this week and will be with the squad until the end of the WXV Global Series in October. The 59-year-old, who left the France men’s team this summer, has been helping England prepare to take on New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday in front of almost 60,000.

“I think probably our biggest question around him coming into the programme was why?” Breach, who starts on the wing against the Black Ferns, 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.”

At the start of the week Marlie Packer disclosed that Edwards stood in front of the squad and told them one of the reasons he wanted to coach the Red Roses was that his mum, Phyllis, who died in 2021, 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”. Edwards also stated he wanted an insight into the women’s game having never coached in women’s rugby before.

England’s head coach, John Mitchell, revealed on Thursday that before Edwards came into camp he wanted to learn all the players names and wanted to see success in the Red Roses’ defensive system.

Mitchell said he too is learning from Edwards, 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 added Edwards has brought his “no nonsense” personality into the team and while he is “highly honoured” to be a part of the England camp, Edwards does not want 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 are on a 40-game unbeaten streak but will be looking to bounce back after their consecutive-win record ended last Saturday with a 26-26 draw against Canada.