THERE is going to be an unfamiliar accent barking out some of the orders on the Welsh training fields for the next two years - it's going to be bold, it's going to be loud, it's going to be firm, and it's going to be very much English of the blunt northern variety.

It belongs to Shaun Edwards, the former rugby league legend who has enjoyed considerable success with Wasps since converting to the union game as a defence coach.

Now he fulfils another ambition by coaching at international level for the first time, not with his native England but with Wales who have snatched him from under their noses.

The man who can take credit for that is Warren Gatland, with whom he forged a successful relationship at Wasps, taking them to English and European titles.

He is confident stepping from one environment to another, from the club to the international scene and coming from a country considered the enemy will make not one jot of difference.

"It's a working class sport in Wales and I'm from a working class background. I played rugby union at school and though the rules are different the emotions and the people are exactly the same," said Edwards.

He was speaking yesterday at his first Press conference since signing a two-year contract with Wales to be their defence coach on a part-time basis. He only agreed to do the job after Wasps agreed and says there will be no conflict of interest.

"Rugby is my life, I used to go to bed with a rugby ball when I was four. If I could coach three times a day I would," he said.

"I've spoken to the Wasps players and if I didn't have their blessing I wouldn't have come, a lot of them are my friends, too. The England offer (to be Saxons coach) was withdrawn anyway so it made my decision.

"I can add something to the Wales coaching set-up as well as Wasps. In Test weeks we'll work it out, but in the other weeks I won't be here other than maybe a training session the week before.

"I'm a rugby man and Wasps want to see me develop as a coach. I was a far better coach when Warren left Wasps than when he arrived so they get the benefit of what I learn here in the knowledge that I can take it back.

"It's good to be in an environment where I can work with Warren. We want to make Wales hard to beat, I'm not saying we'll win every game or win the World Cup, but if anyone beats us they will have to work very hard and they'll know they've been in a game."

Edwards has studied the great Welsh teams of the 70s and the Grand Slam side of 2005 and has quickly spotted defensive deficiencies.

"I've spoken to people like Gareth Edwards and Clive Rowlands and while they could all score tries they also needed a big defence," he said.

"In the Grand Slam season we (Wales) conceded 84 points and in the last two years it's been around 160 to 170. It's my job to get that down.

"I'm like everyone else and want to see great tries being scored but in all the magnificent attacking play in the 70s we forget it was built on a rock solid defence."

Edwards does not intend bringing in his renowned rush defence immediately. "We'll start off with the traditional defence in the Six Nations because of the limited time in preparation but in years to come, maybe on the South Africa tour next year, we will adapt to the blitz defence," he said.

"Wales have got some good players and the Ospreys are already doing it so that'll be a benefit. I'm sure the players will come up to scratch pretty quickly."

Asked what benefits Edwards would bring to Wales, forwards coach Robin McBryde said: "A different accent! But he's got the respect before he starts working with the guys.

"They are confident after good results in Europe and there's a bit of a spring in the step. Warren and Shaun are from a winning background and we hope they will bring it to the national team as well."

Edwards will also have to get used to a new national anthem. "It gets you going," he admitted, while of the England game he said, "The statistics say there is no chance, but reality on the day could be different."