Shaun Edwards believes it will not be a problem for Warren Gatland to rescue Wales if he comes in as the country’s head coach ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup.

With the global showpiece in France less than a year away, Gatland has emerged as the favourite to replace Wayne Pivac, who was in charge of Wales’ recent Autumn Nations Series campaign which finished with one win against Argentina and defeats to New Zealand, Georgia and Australia.

Welsh rugby in a better state than 2007

Edwards, who worked under Gatland as Wales‘ defence coach from 2008 to 2019, said he thinks Welsh rugby is in a better state now than the previous time Gatland took over the coaching reins from Gareth Jenkins following Wales’ disastrous 2007 World Cup campaign.

“It’s not a desperate state, it’s nowhere near as bad as when we took over,” he told The Telegraph.

“I watched the game at the weekend and thought Wales played brilliantly. I thought Alun Wyn Jones was brilliant and the young lad in the back-row, Jac Morgan, is a fantastic ball-carrier. It was just the way modern day Test rugby is. Loads of points are being scored – it’s normal to have a 33-29 scoreline.

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“It’s just getting in the habit of getting on the right side of that scoreline. You know, look at us [France]. We played against 14 players against South Africa for a long time and won by four points. It is just so close, and so exciting.

“Something I always try to concentrate on is that if you as a coach can make three, six points difference to a team, then you are doing a good job. In fact, you are doing a very good job. A lot of games are decided by those margins.

“I’m sure that Warren would go in with that attitude to make that difference to the scoreline, to be on the right side of it.”

Edwards is currently enjoying great success as France’s defence coach but said he remains hopeful of coaching England one day.

“Yeah, of course,” he replied when asked if he wanted to coach the Red Rose at some point in the future. “I’d love to be involved with England at some point down the line. Absolutely.

Loves the Six Nations

“I love international rugby and the competition I love the most is the Six Nations. The history going back 130, 140 years, the great players who played in the past, the great coaches.

“For me, that’s the competition I judge myself on because it’s the only competition really that you have the same preparation.”