Why is involvement in union being made out to be like kiddie fiddling or something?

Edwards was a great player in rugby league who won the respect of everyone in the game, what he wants to do in his retirement from the game is his own business. I suspect that this union connection is just being used as an excuse by people that didn't like him even when he was a player because he played for a successful Wigan side.

To say he was 'vastly more famous' as a Wasps coach than as a rugby league player is stretching it a bit. I would expect if you asked the average RU fan who is Shaun Edwards they would say "he's the former rugby league player who now coaches in union at Wasps and Wales" but if you actually asked them what his specific role is and what he's done in union then they would not be exactly sure how to answer it. I would say if you follow football, the equivalent to Shaun Edwards would be Steve Clarke who is now assistant at Liverpool. There is a general consensus that Steve Clarke is a good coach and he was rated highly by good managers like Mourinho and Dalglish, but he's never been the head man on his own and so he's always seen as a behind the scenes man.

In union Edwards is basically Warren Gatland's right hand man. Edwards was Wasps backs coach when Gatland was head coach from 2002-2005 and won three Premierships in a row, then after he left Ian McGeechan took over as Director of Rugby and now its Dai Young (the ex Saints player), with Edwards as first team coach, so the Director does the signings of players, deals with the media etc, Edwards just stays out of the limelight with the players. Edwards has been allowed to divide his time by doing that and being an assistant to Gatland at national level since Gatland has been in charge of Wales.

Also Edwards is not exactly the favourite person at the RFU either, just after his first season on the Wales staff when they won the Grand Slam, the RFU made Edwards an offer to join the England set up and he wasn't happy with what they were offering and turned them down flat. Given that I watch a bit of RU and would like England to do well, I would rather the RFU let Edwards come in and sort out the England team but I don't know if he's really one to fit in with their establishment. I know we whinge about the RFL being disorganised, but the RFU is like the FA, a bunch of middle class well off businessmen that aren't that bothered about mediocrity as long as they keep their jobs for the boys traditions. Edwards isn't a good fit for that.

Overall though I think you'd be surprised at how Edwards profile in union is quite low and he's still more known as the 'ex rugby league great'.