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Newcastle coach Dave Walder has revealed he is using the advice of Shaun Edwards, the French defence coach, to help flying wing Adam Radwan deal with the body blow of being rejected by England for Six Nations action.
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Radwan scored a hat-trick of tries on his England debut against Canada in July and grabbed another in the win over Tonga but has not added to those two caps despite being included in the Six Nations squad. He was expected to feature against Italy, but head coach Eddie Jones opted for Saracens Max Malins and Jack Nowell.
Radwan headed back to Newcastle and appeared as a replacement in the loss to Exeter last weekend before re-joining the England only to be released again as the squad was reduced for the Wales match. Walder, the former England outside half said: “Radders seems to be, on the surface, in a reasonable place and we talk about it. I remember I was playing at Wasps and Shaun Edwards (France defence coach) was coaching and Tom Rees (flanker) kept coming in and out of England squads and with us was working on different things. Shaun said to Tom that he wouldn’t be picked if he wasn’t a good player and he just needed to be that player and then add things as you go along. Don’t try and do everything you are asked in one go because it will detract from what made you good in the first place.
“You try and remind Radders about why he got picked because he is electric and unbelievable for us and that must be his focus. If he does that I hope he will get picked in the future and at the moment Eddie Jones is playing a couple of people out of position and there is an opportunity for Radders.
“It’s good that Radders is a bit of a goldfish and has a short term memory which is a good thing and when tell him he is brilliant he will remember that and go out and perform like that. I am looking forward to seeing him firing again.”
Walder, whose Falcons side faces Bath on Saturday, has given an insight into the disruption caused when players are called into the England squad but are then returned to their clubs mid-week, forcing them to play catchup before Premiership matches. He added: “It is hugely difficult, emotionally. You go down to England and are desperate to make a name for yourself and have a big Monday (training session) into a big Tuesday and then came back to us tired. It is emotional fatigue as much as anything because you are training at a real intensity while hoping to get an opportunity (to play for England) and don’t want to miss it and so against Exeter we decided it was best to have Radders on the bench to settle back into things.
“It is incredibly tough and I don’t think there is a right or wrong way of doing it and as a player he wants to perform on the weekend for his club but has probably been told by England not to train on day three because of having a big couple of days with them but if he doesn’t train with us he maybe can’t start. That is the dilemma and we deal with it on a week to week basis, but we want Radders firing for us because he is unique and in the Premiership there is no one who can do what he can.
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“Hopefully, then he can be picked by England rather than just train with them. “
