Clive Griffiths (rugby)

Clive Ronald Griffiths (born 2 April 1952) is a former Wales international rugby league and rugby union player and current coach of the North Wales Crusaders rugby league club and Director of Rugby at Doncaster Knights. Born in Loughor, Swansea, he was affectionately known as "Clive the Ship" after the family pub in nearby Penclawdd. Griffiths played club rugby union for Llanelli as full back and during this period took up his first senior coaching appointment in 1977 at the age of 25 for Newcastle Emlyn RFC^[1]

International Rugby Union Career

He represented the Barbarians and on the international scene he was capped once against England in his last match for his country on 17 March 1979. He had been selected on the bench three times previously during the 1979 Five Nations but was an unused replacement.^[2]

Rugby League Club Career

On 16 August 1979 he switched codes signing for St Helens Rugby League Club for a record £27,000 and making his debut against Widnes in the first round of the Lancashire Cup on 19 August. In exactly 100 appearances he scored 598 points from 276 goals, 8 drop goals and 11 tries. After playing his last match for the club against Hull KR On 9 October 1984 he joined Salford. He also coached at Warrington before returning to Rugby Union.^[3]

Rugby League Coaching Career

In September 1986, he returned to the club to take up the position of fitness conditioner and a move into coaching the Wales national rugby league team led to some creditable performances under his guidance including a World Cup semi-final match against the eventual winners Australia with a first half performance that gave Wales a half time lead.^[3] He spent 10 years with the Welsh rugby league team, twice guiding them to the semi-final stage of the World Cup and winning the European Championship for the first time in 57 years. He also enjoyed a spell as Great Britain rugby league coach in 1996.^[2]

Rugby Union Coaching Career

His first professional coaching role in union was with London Welsh for three seasons before joining Swansea as defence coach in 2000. He later joined Mike Ruddock at the Newport Gwent Dragons again as defence coach. Griffiths was appointed to the Wales Squad Coaching team on the 1 July 2001 and remained a part of the set up through the 2003 Rugby World Cup and five Six Nations campaigns, including the 2005 RBS Six Nations Grand Slam where he was credited for his part in tightening Wales' defensive line, particularly in their tackling performance against England.^[2]

In May 2006 he joined English National League One side Doncaster as director of rugby on a three-year deal^[4] leading them to third place in National Division One.

Clive Griffiths joined Worcester Warriors as Head Coach and assistant to Director of Rugby Mike Ruddock in June 2007 on an initial two-year deal.^[5] He coached RGC 1404 North Wales rugby club who are being fast tracked into the Welsh Premiership.^[6]

Return to Rugby League Coaching

In November 2011 Griffiths signed a 2 year deal to coach North Wales Crusaders, the rugby league side risen from the ashes of the former Super League franchise Crusaders RL. North Wales play in the Cooperative Championships 1 division in the UK. ^[7] After a winning seven out of 18 games, including three doubles, and just two more victories would have put in them in the end of season play-off competition, Griffiths was nominated for Championship 1 Coach of the Year.^[8]

References

External links

• Wales Rugby Union profile