On the appointment of Edwards, England head coach John Mitchell said: “Since his time with France ended, we have had a conversation about our game, and he expressed an interest in working in an international women’s set-up for the first time.

“He has a huge amount of respect for the Red Roses and what we stand for; he sees it as a privilege to join our environment.

“His coaching credentials are exceptional and his experience at the highest level of the game speaks for itself.

“Defensively, Sarah Hunter is relishing the opportunity to learn from him, alongside the rest of our coaching group, as we head into another exciting Test match against New Zealand.”

Last week, Edwards expressed his desire to return to coaching and be a part of next year’s men’s Six Nations.

“I’m def­in­itely open to offers now, until I sort out a full-time role,” he told the Daily Mail., external

“I’m a proud Englishman and everybody loves to represent their country, don’t they? I’m no different.”