Last night I was doing a bit of Six Nations research in order to inform my weekend's gambling and stumbled onto Shawn Edwards's bizarre column in last Friday's Guardian. The Welsh defense coach was attempting to write about his team's preparations in Poland, but he couldn't stop himself from sniping about Irish rugby team, making a few thinly veiled claims that the Ireland benefits from a range of 'coincidental' scheduling advantages that gives them an edge over Wales.
Now Edwards does go on to praise the Irish club sides in the proceeding paragraph, but any genuine gestures of respect for the Irish are tarred by the whiff of conspiracy that he casts over Ireland's successes. I had no idea this kind of paranoia was alive and well in the Welsh camp. I don't think it will benefit them come Sunday.
