LONDON (AP) — Defense guru Shaun Edwards says England rugby coach Steve Borthwick turned him down for a job.

Edwards helped France win back-to-back Six Nations and was released by the French after six years as an assistant to Fabien Galthié.

England won only one game for the first time since 1987 and the clamour was loud for Borthwick to hire Edwards, who has won seven Six Nations as an assistant. Edwards said he offered himself.

“I had a good chat with Steve over the phone,” Edwards told the Rugby Union Weekly podcast.

"He was very, very honest with me and I thanked him for that. He said he was happy with his staff and the way things have been going, and I respected him for that.”

But Edwards also told Borthwick that if anything changed ...

“I said to Steve he can make me assistant kit man and I'll be there, be ready for work,” he said.

Speculation about an England future for Edwards grew again when he was hired by the England women in September on a short-term basis. He left the Red Roses camp last week to join the Argentina men as their defense coach until the end of the Rugby World Cup next year.

Edwards was asked how he can help the Pumas, who resume in the Nations Championship on Friday against Ireland in Dublin.

“I think the discipline has improved over the last two years. They had a habit of giving a lot penalties at rucks away because they were so aggressive and so pumped up,” he said. "Sometimes you have to play rugby with a bit more of a level head. I can definitely help.

“The (defensive) system they employ is very similar to the one I employ, and there's not much of a difference. Just a little bit of detail in certain positions.”

Edwards will have a reunion with the France staff in two weeks when Argentina goes to Paris. Edwards said it will be great to catch up with the French coaches but said he was more excited about Argentina's next training session.

The 60-year-old Edwards added he was surprised his experience had not yet led to a head coach job with a test side.

He believed he was good enough to take over the Wales job when Warren Gatland ended his first stint with the team in 2019.

Wales instead appointed Scarlets coach Wayne Pivac.

“Then," Edwards said, “I went on to something which I'd always wanted to do, which is to help France."