Wales' newest cap has earned the 'swagger' that Dan Biggar and others love
There's just something about a Welsh debut in France. It calls back to the days of sideburns and sidesteps, when jerseys were baggy and there were just five 'nations'.
Some of Welsh rugby's favourite sons, those known purely by a singular name, first pulled on the red jersey in Paris. Gareth and Benny did so in the Stade Yves-du-Manoir in the late 60s, before JJ, Pricey, Grav and Ieuan all made their bows at the Parc des Prince in the following decades.
All in all, 99 men have first worn that precious jersey against the French, with 59 of those having done so on French soil. A Parisian debut has become a novelty in the recent years.
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Just four men have won their first cap at the Stade de France, which has been in use since 1998. Two of those were in the last Five Nations in 1999. The others were in the Covid-inspired Autumn Nations Series in 2020.
None - remarkably given it's now a quarter of a century since, as the Spice Girls never said, five became six - have happened in the Six Nations. But, that is about to change.
Following in all those illustrious names is Dan Edwards, with the young Ospreys fly-half on the bench for Wales' Six Nations opener in Paris on Friday night.
You might forgive the 21-year-old, then, for being daunted by it all as he prepares for his Test bow. That's not the case.
"I've messaged him and he says he can't wait," says former Wales fly-half James Hook, who coaches Edwards at the Ospreys. "It's a moment he'll have been dreaming of for years."
Speak to anyone about Edwards and you'll understand why he's ready for this opportunity. One of Wales' greatest fly-halves, Dan Biggar, noted last week that the Cwmafan product has a "little bit of swagger for a young kid".
That fearless nature is something that Biggar will love, having never taken a backwards step in his own career. But, as Biggar will know, when it comes to having that swagger as a fly-half, you can't put the cart before the horse.
"He's earned that swagger," says Aberavon head coach Jason Hyatt. Edwards spent some time with the Wizards a few years ago to help his development.
"It's all well and good having that swagger, especially at fly-half where you need that positive swagger, but you've got to earn it. There's a difference between players who have that player, but haven't earned it.
"Outside-half is very much a position in the limelight. He's earned that through hard work and keeping his nose to the grindstone. He's got a fantastic work ethic."
His current coach agrees with that sentiment too. "He's not an arrogant boy," says Ospreys boss Mark Jones.
"He's confident in his own ability. He knows what he's good at and he knows what he needs to work on, to be fair to him. When you play in his position, if you're going to take on big moments and make big decisions, you have to do the work.
"Otherwise the skill won't stand up. He practises his drop-goals, which we've seen a fair bit of. He spends a lot of time on his goal-kicking with Hooky, so he definitely backs up his talent with the work. That's why it holds up under pressure."
Having worked with him closely, Hook knows how Edwards can park any mistakes and "jump straight back on the horse". "He's got that confidence. That's key for an international 10," Hook added.
In fairness to Edwards though, when he's tended to put himself in those big moments early on his career, he's delivered.
A last-gasp drop-goal against Ulster back in February was, frankly, ridiculous. With the clock going red, it was win or bust for the Ospreys with their final attack.
But Edwards made the call to set up the drop-goal and, in nerveless fashion, struck it through the uprights before being mobbed by his delighted team-mates. For anyone, let alone a 20-year-old who was making just his seventh appearance for the Ospreys, it was mightily impressive.
"It all falls on your shoulders there," says Jones. "We had a drop-goal routine, but we hadn't practised it for quite some time.
"So for him, in the moment, to be able to remember what it looks like, the calling system, what everyone around him needed to achieve and to pull that out of the bag in the moment was quite special. That's when you know you've got a top talent on your hands.
"Because he knew if he didn't strike it well or it missed, the game was gone. It was the confidence, but also the nous to be able to do it at that moment."
A similar drop-goal against the Stormers at the start of the season, when the Ospreys desperately needed a win to bounce back from a disappointing derby defeat against the Dragons, once again outlined his ability to stand up in those situations.
"Those drop-goals against Ulster and Stormers, it shows his confidence to put himself in those positions and take it," adds Hook. "Some 10s might shy away from that from the fear of missing, but he's not that type of 10. He'll have a crack, even if the game is on the line."
In fairness, that penchant for the big moments was visible even when he was at Aberavon. In the dying embers of a Premiership Cup semi-final against Llandovery in Merthyr back in 2022, Edwards knocked over the winning penalty from 45 metres out.
"For a young guy to step up off the bench and kick the winning penalty, it was a tough kick near the halfway line and it wasn't straight, he showed huge character," says Hyatt.
"That kick took steel to do that. One of the Llandovery players was in his ear, telling him how tough a kick it was. I think it was his first action on the field and he slotted it right between the posts to put us in the final. He had the right minerals, even back then."
Perhaps it all stems from, as all those who have coached him put it, his grounded background. He grew up in Cwmafan, a stone's throw away from where Hook grew up, while the Wizards' ground wasn't too far away either.
He gives back to the area, coaching with Cwmafan and Aberavon schoolboys. "For such a young guy who has a thousand things on his mind with his career, he's still willing to give back to rugby in the community," adds Hyatt. "Hopefully it'll inspire more youngsters to follow in his footsteps."
Like Hook, he's now preparing for his Wales debut in his early 20s, having spent his formative years supporting the Wizards. Hyatt says it was obvious that he had a "real dedication and appreciation of what Aberavon is about".
That includes putting the team first. "What I liked most about Dan was, we played Bridgend once away and Dan wasn't selected in the squad," says Hyatt. "When he phoned me in the evening, I thought he'd be ringing to ask why he wasn't selected.
"But he was phoning me to ask if it was OK if he could run water on for the players. That showed what he was made off. He was obviously disappointed, but he wanted to help the team.
"The following week, he was selected against Carmarthen Quins and he was man of the match. He's a good lesson for all the youngsters out there.
"I'm a firm believer that you earn your place in the team. Regular selection is down to consistent performances. He earned his place in the Aberavon team and then went on to do what he did."
When Hyatt looks for a comparison when it comes to work ethic at the Wizards, he hasn't got to look too far - having helped bring through Wales captain Jac Morgan. He sees similarities, with his attitude towards the collective effort.
The man himself, who will be leading Edwards in Paris, has been just as impressed by the fly-half's rise - even if that rapid ascent means the 21-year-old is now bossing Morgan and the other Wales internationals in the Ospreys' pack around the field.
"He’s really matured as an outside-half this year," says Morgan. "He’s really growing in confidence.
"He’s talking to his forwards - telling us where to go and where to be. It’s easier sometimes like that, if you’re coming up from a scrum or maul, he’s telling you where to go.
"You’re going then without thinking. He’s been great this year. I feel he’s grown in confidence. He’s great at communicating with us about what he wants us and the team to do. He’s been good."
As a pack of forwards, they also appreciate how he pushes the envelope when going for touch from penalties. Just a few extra metres can make a hell of a difference when you're walking up to the lineout. As for the communication, it's something that is impressing his coaches as well as his team-mates.
"He's still respectful with it," explains Jones. "He's very direct. He tells them what he wants and he's clear. He does the work, he sets the plan up in the week with the coaches and we have a good alignment at the end of the week between coaches and players. He's vocal in that.
"He's very good with the information he needs and he transfers that into the group. I think the group get a lot of confidence from someone who's prepared to drive them around the field. If he does it training and in the team room, there's a good chance he'll do it on matchday."
The same attributes that have earned that swagger Edwards needs as a fly-half also make him a joy to coach. Hyatt knows it's about adding more to the team than just playing ability. It's about "contributing to the family".
"No doubt the Ospreys have seen that in bucket-loads with Dan," he adds. "He's a leader and he's got a great nature about him. He doesn't expect anything in return. I can see why he's held in such high regard by the Ospreys.
"He's a great guy. He's an inspirational talent, but he's one of those players who knows how to bring the best out of him.
"He's got a good kicking game. His running game is second to none. He's made for the international environment."
Clearly, the Ospreys agree. Both Jones and Hook note how easy Edwards is to coach. "He's quite a laid back guy, but he's really keen to improve and work hard," says Hook. "I've coached him the last five years, I guess, since he came through the academy.
"His improvements have been excellent year on year. He's willing to learn. He's got pace to burn, which is the point of difference for him. Everyone's seen his wide range of passing and how he attacks the line.
"He's one of those players who has moments in him that can turn a game. We've seen that in the last year or two. He's a pleasure to coach to be honest with you. I've done a lot on the kicking side with him. If you've got someone who's willing to work hard, it's easy."
When Jones took charge of Wales U20s a couple of years ago, Edwards was "instrumental" to the particular identity he wanted. "He's very, very keen to learn," adds Jones.
"He works very hard on all aspects of his game. He's a very fit lad, does a lot in the physical side of it. He can run all day, has good pace and has got good IQ for a young outside-half. He's got good awareness.
"He's got a bit of an all-court game. He can manage a game kicking-wise, good length on his kicking and he obviously loves to run the ball. So we're lucky there. He's a talented young boy."
The hope is now, those very same attributes will help him kick on at the next level. "The work ethic and the desire to get better are the foundations for Test rugby," explains Jones. "You've got to have those.
"If you don't have those, you won't last five minutes at international rugby. He's got those. The challenge for Dan is that international rugby is different.
"Defences are more compromising, there's more variety in how the game is played and physicality is massively enhanced. There'll be lots of little things he'll note in the coming weeks. But generally, if you're an adaptive person and you've got the right mindset, you can move up the stages.
"I've no doubt with time he'll become a very, very accomplished international player, as long as he's nurtured right and gets the opportunity. If the team around him supports him, he'll support the team."
Certainly, from all the noises in camp, the team are ready to do just that. "It is a step-up so it’ll be a new experience for him, but I’m looking forward to seeing how he goes," adds Morgan. "Hopefully he’ll learn and keep developing. I’m excited to see how he gets on."
A small slice of history beckons for Edwards on Friday night. A first Parisian debut for a Welshman in the Six Nations.
"He's a good kid," says Hook. "What you see is what you get. He'll get opportunities in this Six Nations so hopefully he'll go well."
