ANALYSIS: How Sam Warburton has influenced Wales' defence and how there is still evidence of Edwards' work

With Warren Gatland leaving Wales and Shaun Edwards also following the long time head coach out the door, Wales' style of play was always going to change. And now with Wayne Pivac taking over from Gatland, the former Scarlets' head coach has hired the services of Sam Warburton.

The former Lions captain's impact on the side has been evident in the way they compete at the breakdown as a professional coach and defence guru, Omar Mouniemne explains below.

In this Exclusive with Ultimate Rugby, Omar has a look at Wales' overall defence and how it could suffocate and slow down France in Round three of the Six Nations, as well as the particular impact Justin Tipuric, has on the Welsh defence.

This as well as how Warburton has tweaked the way Wales contest at the breakdown and the hints of Shaun Edwards' work still in play with Wales with the former Wales defence coach now in the opposite coaching box this weekend.

 Watch the full analysis below or continue reading after the video:

Continue reading below...

So let's dive in.

The first indication of Shaun Edwards' defensive structures being in place is the way Wales use the choke tackle and hit the opposition high up and drive them back.

You see that with this hit by Justin Tupric on Henderson:

But they're also jackaling over the ball a little bit more under Warburton's influence, slowing the opposition's attack down. 

What Warburton has changed is that Wales do go in twice to try turnover the ball. The first man goes in for a dig and if he is unsuccessful,a second defender will come in and jackal over and have had a go, to either slow that ball down alternatively turn it over as you see below.

They a double jackal and have a double shot at the ball.

This tactic works well, even when they don't make a positive hit as they have a full go at the breakdown to slow the ball and buy time reset their defence line. 

You can see this in the next clip as Ken Owen just manages to get the ball carrier down. The next arriving defender, Alun Wyn Jones, goes in on the ball and buys time for the defensive line to realign.

This is where is works in well with some of the principles maintained under Shaun Edwards as on the next phase Wales shoot up with Tipuric and Faletau making a good hit on Iain Henderson, holding him up and winning the scrum with the choke tackle.

So Wales are able to jackal and choke tackle well and I think that's a massive factor.

They may not hit as hard as they used to under Edwards but they're still are physical on defence.