Next in line...

It appears that Rob Howley is set to continue as the Wales interim head coach while Warren Gatland is on Lions duty next season (assuming, as we all do, that Wazza gets the Lions job).

This despite Wales losing all 3 of Howley's 3 games in charge in Australia this summer and despite the fact that many, including yours truly, assumed that Shaun Edwards was heir apparent to Gatland.

Let's face it, aside from the appallingly-treated Mike Ruddock, Wales' record with a Welshman at the helm in recent years hasn't exactly been stellar and it remains to be seen whether Howley can buck the trend.

And you do have to wonder how committed Edwards will be to the Welsh cause without his old mucka Gatland in charge.

Leapfrog?

The appointment by Wales of Rob Howley as caretaker Head Coach for the forthcoming summer tour of Australia is a strange one.

Yes, Warren Gatland needs to focus on recovering from his broken heels incurred recently in New Zealand while doing a George Formby impression, but what of Shaun Edwards, widely thought of as Gatland's right hand man?

Howley, who played under Edwards for Wasps, appears now to have leapfrogged his former coach in the Wales pecking order.

I wonder if Stuart Lancaster has Shaun Edwards on speed-dial?