Steve Borthwick's failure to bring Shaun Edwards into England's coaching team has raised fresh questions. And the Six Nations stats make grim reading for the England boss.
Edwards has helped Wales and France win seven Six Nations titles, as well as four Grand Slams. Borthwick has yet to win the title in four attempts.
Now, Edwards has joined Argentina ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
So, did England miss a golden chance to sign one of the best coaches in the game?
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Why didn't Steve Borthwick appoint Shaun Edwards?
Edwards has long been linked with a role in England's coaching team. Yet the former rugby league star has never coached England's men's side.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Edwards said he had never received a formal offer.
He made it clear that a club or union would need to approach him first. That call never came.
England already have a defence coach in place, while Borthwick has kept faith with his current staff.
Edwards has now agreed to join Argentina until the end of the 2027 World Cup. The move was confirmed by Sky Sportson October 9.
Could Shaun Edwards have caused a power struggle?
One big question remains. Would Edwards have been happy to work under Borthwick?
The 59-year-old is no ordinary assistant coach. He has worked with Warren Gatland and Fabien Galthié, who both gave him key roles in their coaching teams.
Edwards is known for his passion, high standards and fierce approach to defence. He also has a track record few coaches can match.
England, on the other hand, have seen several coaches leave under Borthwick.
Aled Walters and Felix Jones both left their roles in 2024. Their exits raised questions about life behind the scenes.
Adding a coach with Edwards' status could have changed the balance of power.
Would Borthwick have welcomed such a strong voice, or would it have led to a clash?
There is no proof that fear of a power struggle stopped the move. But it is a fair question to ask.
Shaun Edwards vs Steve Borthwick: Six Nations record
The stats tell quite a story.
Edwards has worked with Wales and France across 19 Six Nations campaigns. In that time, he has helped win seven titles.
Borthwick has led England in four campaigns without winning one.
The Edwards win total and rate are from our earlier calculation and still need a final check.
That gives Edwards a lead of more than 22 percentage points.
Of course, there is one key difference. Edwards has worked as an assistant coach, while Borthwick is the man in charge of England.
Even so, the gap in success is hard to ignore.
Edwards won four titles with Wales in 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2019. He then helped France win three more in 2022, 2025 and 2026.
Borthwick's best Six Nations finish came in 2025, when England came second. But things went badly wrong this year.
England's Six Nations nightmare
England won just one match in the 2026 Six Nations. They beat Wales but lost to Scotland, Ireland, Italy and France.
The defeat to Italy was a huge blow. It was England's first loss to the Azzurri.
England finished fifth in the table, their worst Six Nations finish since Italy joined the event in 2000.
The RFU then launched a review of the poor results.
According to BBC Sport, the review found faults in England's attack, discipline and accuracy.
Borthwick kept the backing of the RFU, but the pressure is now on to get results.
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Seven Six Nations titles. Four Grand Slams. Two nations. Shaun Edwards has a CV most coaches would love to have. And England never made him a formal offer. That seems like a missed chance.
Would Edwards have turned England into world beaters overnight? Of course not.
Borthwick also deserves credit for reaching the 2023 World Cup semi-finals. But his Six Nations record tells a less happy tale. Just 10 wins from 20 matches. No titles. And a fifth-place finish in 2026.
Edwards, by contrast, has won trophies with both Wales and France. Now Argentina will get the chance to work with him.
Borthwick must prove his current coaching team can take England forward. If results fail to improve, the choice not to pursue Edwards may look even worse.
Have your say: Should England have appointed Shaun Edwards?
