Warren Gatland, Wales's new head coach, has expressed his disbelief that he was able to headhunt Shaun Edwards to join his management team, having expected his former Wasps colleague to be sitting in the opposition dug-out in next month's Six Nations opener against England.
Edwards yesterday agreed a two-year contract to act as Wales' defence coach on a part-time basis and also extended his deal at Wasps, where he is head coach, until the end of the 2010-11 season. The club's former scrum-half Robert Howley, who captained Wales in the 1999 World Cup, will be the backs coach as the New Zealander Gatland, who has come to Wales from Waikato, stiffens his back-up team with men he trusts.
Gatland yesterday announced a 28-strong squad for the Six Nations Championship. Ten players who took part in the World Cup were left out, including the captain, Gareth Thomas, and veteran flanker Colin Charvis.
Surprisingly, the 76-cap flanker Martyn Williams, who announced his retirement from international rugby three months ago and even last week was quoted as saying that there was no point in Gatland trying to change his mind, agreed to return for his 11th championship campaign. The Lions No8 Ryan Jones becomes Wales' fourth captain in the past year.
"The door is not closed to the likes of Gareth Thomas and Colin Charvis," Gatland said, "but we have to factor the 2011 World Cup into our calculations."
But Edwards, who turned down the chance to coach England Saxons to rejoin Gatland, commanded the attention, even eclipsing the Ospreys centre Gavin Henson, who was named after playing no part in last season's Six Nations. Indeed, the 25-year-old has not started a championship match since the 2005 grand slam clincher against Ireland.
The Rugby Football Union elite director of rugby, Rob Andrew, last week said he doubted whether Edwards would be able to effectively combine the two roles, but Gatland retorted: "Is that what he would have said if England had secured Shaun's services? I'm not sure and I am just surprised that England had not snapped him up before we got in. I am delighted to have got him on board, not just as a coach but as a personality. Shaun knows how to win and getting him is a huge coup for us. The choice he faced was the Saxons or coaching at the highest level. It was not much of an option and I think that England only made their offer because they felt they needed to be seen to be doing something.
"I have spoken to Ian McGeechan [Wasps' director of rugby] and we will work out when and where Shaun will spend his time. He will be with us during Six Nations weeks, but we will have a different day off in the week to Wasps and there will not be any conflict."
Gatland dismissed reports that he had offered the Wasps and former England captain Lawrence Dallaglio a place on the management team. "I had a conversation with him recently and invited him to watch a training session and maybe have lunch with the players," said Gatland.
The Ospreys supply half of Gatland's first squad, more than Wales' other three regions combined, with Gloucester's Gareth Cooper and Gareth Delve making up the 28. Gatland eventually wants all his leading players based in Wales.
"I would like 60 or 70 Wales-qualified players appearing for the regions every week," he said when asked whether he wanted to see a reduction in overseas players on contracts.
"There are some journeymen from outside playing for our professional teams, but there are also guys of quality. I do not think it is any coincidence that the two most successful teams in England this decade, Wasps and Leicester, were the ones who supplemented a squad of largely homegrown players with a few prime signings from overseas."
Gatland will have charge of the players for only a week before his first game, against England at Twickenham. The Cardiff Blues wing Jamie Roberts is the only uncapped member of the squad.
Wales squad Backs Byrne (Ospreys), Roberts, James (both Cardiff Blues), Mark Jones (Llanelli Scarlets), Shane Williams (Ospreys), Tom Shanklin (Cardiff Blues), Sonny Parker, Gavin Henson, James Hook (all Ospreys), Stephen Jones, Dwayne Peel (both Llanelli Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Ospreys), Gareth Cooper (Gloucester). Forwards Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Adam Jones, Duncan Jones (both Ospreys), Rhys Thomas (Newport Gwent Dragons), Huw Bennett (Ospreys), Matthew Rees (Llanelli Scarlets), Ian Evans, Ian Gough, Alun-Wyn Jones, Jonathan Thomas (all Ospreys), Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues), Robin Sowden-Taylor (Cardiff Blues), Gareth Delve (Gloucester), Alix Popham (Llanelli Scarlets), Ryan Jones (Ospreys, capt).
Scots recall Murray
Scott Murray, Scotland's most capped player, was among four forwards called into yesterday's national squad training session after injuries hampered Frank Hadden's preparations for the Six Nations campaign. Murray, below, had been missing from the 35-man squad announced last week but the reprieve gives the Montauban lock hope of adding to his 87 appearances. Three other forwards were added to the Murrayfield training session, the props Craig Smith of Edinburgh and Bruce Douglas of Llanelli and Glasgow's hooker Dougie Hall. The four replaced the injured players Euan Murray, Jim Hamilton, Dave Callam and Kelly Brown. Llanelli's Scott MacLeod also played a limited part in the session after featuring for the Scarlets on Sunday in their 40-7 Heineken Cup defeat by Wasps. Murray, 32 today, said: "I had already said to Frank that if they need me then I'll put my hand up straight away. I flew all the way here to try to show Frank what I can do in training. The only thing I can do is stick my head down, train really hard and keep playing well. I was disappointed and frustrated but I told Frank that I would keep playing the way I am playing and hope I get another shot."
