Shaun Edwards’ coaching future may be undecided but one things is for certain: he is determined to become a winning Lion in the near future.
Edwards’ left London Wasps by mutual consent last week, prompting a rush for his services, with Cardiff Blues, Wales and England seemingly the front runners.
The 45-year-old defence guru, who was part of Sir Ian McGeechan’s Lions coaching team in 2009, has yet to state his preferred destination but he has made it clear he has unfinished business with Britain and Ireland’s elite.
"I have a totally open mind but a really, really big goal of mine is to win a Lions series," said Edwards.
"I want to be involved in a winning tour. We came so close the last time but it's a massive ambition of mine."
While the Lions fell just short of shocking then world champions South Africa two-and-a-half seasons ago, Wales came equally close to surprising the entire globe at this year’s World Cup.
With Edwards masterminding a defensive system that conceded an average of just nine points prior to the third-place play-off with the Wallabies, Wales were pipped to a spot in the final by France after playing for more than an hour with 14 men following skipper Sam Warburton’s red card.
France went on to come within a point of beating the All Blacks in the game’s showpiece event in Auckland and Edwards believes Wales could have go on to win the tournament had they battled past the French.
"When I'm old and grey sitting in my rocking chair I'll look back and say, ‘yeah we done well but it was it a missed opportunity not to come home with a gold medal’. It was massively disappointing," added Edwards.
"I mean particularly looking at how the final went – the All Blacks were there for the taking.
"I just think had we have gotten into the final, given the size of our team, we could have matched them. To be going into a game where your team is bigger than the All Blacks is very unusual, bar South Africa it just doesn't happen.
"I felt with having three backs over 105 Kg's, had we come up against the likes of Conrad Smith, Nonu and potentially Sonny Bill, we would brought it to them. It would have been a great match up."
