Any hopes the RFU may have entertained of luring Shaun Edwards back from Wales were shattered yesterday. Edwards, the London Wasps head coach, has signed a three-year contract as assistant coach with Wales, that will include the 2011 World Cup, while also agreeing an improved deal with Wasps for the same period.

The sense of relief felt in the Principality will be matched by England's sense of a missed opportunity. Wales felt able to give Edwards what he wanted, a part-time role that would allow him to remain at Wasps. Having helped Wales to a grand slam in

his first season alongside Warren Gatland, the head coach, Edwards will travel with Wales to South Africa for two internationals in June, with the chance to enhance his prospects of returning a year later as a coach with the Lions. “This is an important day for Wales,” Roger Lewis, the Welsh Rugby Union chief executive, said. “We are assembling a formidable array of talent to ensure we re-

position Welsh rugby at the forefront of the global game.”

The WRU, however, will not recommend Gatland as head coach to the Lions when nominations close tomorrow. They believe that his role with Wales (who make a development tour only in 2009) will make it impossible for him to take on the organisation that will be required for the Lions, but Gatland will not be ruled out of a place in the coaching panel.

The Lions have confirmed their ten-match itinerary for the tour to South Africa, but delicate negotiations remain if a disruptive clash with England's domestic programme is to be avoided. As matters stand, the Lions will play their opening game in Rustenburg on May 30 next year, the same day that the Guinness Premiership final is to be played at Twickenham.

The Lions originally planned a tour beginning on June 6 and ending on July 11, but, at the request of the RFU, moved the start date forward a week to leave room for the rest period for players agreed with the Premiership clubs. There is room for manoeuvre: the Premiership semi-finals will be played on May 16 and 17 next year, the Heineken Cup final on May 23 and the Premiership final a week later. If it chooses, Premier Rugby Ltd could make a goodwill gesture and cancel the semi-finals, leaving the top two clubs to contest the grand final.

Philippe Saint-Andre, the Sale Sharks director of rugby, believes that his club's Premiership season will be defined by tonight's game against Bristol at the Memorial Stadium and the clash on Tuesday with Wasps. Sale have also signed Nick MacLeod, the Cardiff Blues fly half/full back, on a two-year deal.

Lions tour schedule

May 30: v Highveld XV (Rustenburg).

June 3: v Lions (Johannesburg).

June 6: v Cheetahs (Bloemfontein).

June 10: v Sharks (Durban).

June 13: v Western Province (Cape Town).

June 16 or 17: v Coastal XV (venue to be confirmed).

June 20: v South Africa (Durban).

June 23: v Emerging Springboks (Cape Town).

June 27: v South Africa (Pretoria).

July 4: v South Africa (Johannesburg).