Defence coach Shaun Edwards has joined Argentina’s teaching employees on a deal that runs till the tip of the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
The announcement ends any hypothesis that Edwards may very well be handed a job in Steve Borthwick’s England set-up, with the 59-year-old set to fulfil his consultancy function with England’s ladies’s crew earlier than becoming a member of Felipe Contepomi’s employees.
“I am delighted to hitch Felipe Contepomi, his teaching employees and the Argentina rugby crew on the finish of this month till the World Cup subsequent yr in Australia,” mentioned Edwards.
“I’ve all the time admired the power and high quality of Argentine gamers and I hope to convey a few of my worldwide expertise to the crew in the course of the subsequent yr,” added the previous Wigan rugby league nice.
Englishman Edwards, who is among the most adorned coaches in rugby union, left his place as France males’s defence coach earlier this yr after serving to them win three Six Nations titles.
Edwards and former Argentina head coach and hooker Mario Ledesma, who has been appointed to take cost of the forwards, will begin work with the Pumas on the finish of October.
Argentina are then set to face Eire, Italy and France in November in Nations Championship matches.
Three-time semi-finalists Argentina have been drawn in a pool with Fiji, Spain and Canada on the World Cup which takes place between 1 October and 13 November in 2027.
Edwards, who additionally spent a profitable 12 years with Wales and gained 4 English titles and two Champions Cups whereas on Wasps’ employees, mentioned in March that he was serious about teaching within the Rugby Championship, the southern hemisphere event contested by South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina.
He turned down an opportunity to teach his nation in 2006, believing that the busier fixture listing at Wasps would swimsuit him higher as he grieved the loss of life of his brother.
Two years later, he opted to tackle a defence function with Wales, relatively than lead England’s second-string aspect, then generally known as the Saxons., exterior
In 2021, he met with Rugby Soccer Union chief government Invoice Sweeney however, and not using a agency provide forthcoming, signed a contract extension to stick with France.
