SHAUN Edwards is hoping his club Wasps can come to an agreement with Wales to allow him to become Warren Gatland's part-time coaching assistant.

The prospects appear good for Edwards to join Wales in time for the start of this year's RBS Six Nations, with Wasps chief executive Tony Copsey also anxious to conclude negotiations quickly so as to avoid any undue "distractions.'' Former rugby league great Edwards - who will be turning down an offer to take charge of England's second team, the Saxons, if he instead chooses Wales - notes others have already made a success of coaching countries other than that of their birth.

Like Copsey, it seems he is simply hoping the arrangement can be completed soon.

"I want to improve as a coach, but above anything I didn't want to harm my situation at Wasps,'' Edwards said.

"I want to go on coaching there, and really it's just a question of the club and Wales coming to some agreement.'' As for the precedents for such a situation, Edwards is heartened.

"There might be a conflict in some people's eyes,'' he acknowledges. "But coaches crossing borders is not unknown.

"Kevin Bowring now works for the RFU after coaching Wales, Australia's Eddie Jones worked with South Africa in the World Cup, Warren coached Ireland and Graham Henry and Steve Hansen both had charge of Wales.'' Copsey, meanwhile, has confirmed the WRU official approach.

"It is still far from being a done deal,'' he said. "But we would hope to sort things as quickly as we can - because it runs the risk of being distracting.

"If Shaun is really keen on this then we need to consider the impact on Wasps and if we could make such a part-time role work.''