Were England to decide, by the end of this calendar year, that they needed fundamental change in their coaching group, their thoughts would surely stray again to Shaun Edwards. Nor would Wales's head coach stand in the way of Edwards if he believed that a significant role with England was what he wanted.

But Warren Gatland, whose Wales team stand on the verge this week of a grand slam in the RBS Six Nations Championship, must surely believe that Edwards will remain at his side for at least the period of his agreement with the WRU, which carries through to January 2010. “He's an incredibly loyal individual,” Gatland said yesterday of the man whose defensive organisation has helped Wales to concede only two tries during their unbeaten run towards Saturday's decisive meeting with France in Cardiff.

“If there are other opportunities for people, if Shaun wanted to coach England and felt that's where his vocation lies, we wouldn't hold him. But would he want the big job? He thrives working with someone who takes front of house [as Edwards does with Ian McGeechan, the director of rugby, in his primary role as head coach to London Wasps].”

It was the friendship with Gatland that took Edwards to Wales in a part-time role, as much as the shilly-shallying of the RFU and his ambition to coach at senior international level. The difference the pair have made in three months is evident, but Gatland also deserves tremendous praise for meshing the talents of such home-bred individuals as Rob Howley and Robin McBryde in a coaching panel that has cast off the gloom of World Cup failure and, essentially with the same players, cruised to the top of the Six Nations table.

The players themselves realised the difference to the unhappy regime of Gareth Jenkins as early as the second half of the opening championship game, against England. “After a first half when everyone thought ‘same old championship for Wales', we showed that this team had real fight and that we could compete against anyone,” Lee Byrne, the full back, said.

“Before the Twickenham game I said to Shaun that, if we could get a result against England, we might have a bit of a chance in the championship,” Gatland said. “He said, ‘you Kiwis are always so optimistic', but you have to have a bit of belief.”

Gatland went into his new job in January with two distinct advantages: the first, the respect of the players his coaching record demands; the second, that he knew little or nothing of the playing talent available to him. He watched such individuals as Byrne with no preconceived ideas, no knowledge of the history of a player whose display against England last August, in a warm-up international, ensured his omission from Wales's World Cup squad last autumn.

“I watched him play for the Ospreys, I was impressed and thought that, in the right set-up, he could do well,” Gatland said. “There are certain things I won't compromise on, the way I want training to operate, the intensity of effort that reflects what happens on the playing field, the type of game I want to play, and those have been key to every team I have coached.

“Whatever happens this weekend, we can look back and say it has been a successful campaign for Wales. We have shown improvement and I'm excited about the future.”

At the start of the championship, Gatland said it would take two years before his team reached maturity and the excitement of this Wales team is that there is so much improvement to come. “Were we to lose to France and still win the Six Nations, that would be a bit hollow,” he said. “A grand slam would be nice.”