Worcester Warriors are delighted to confirm that Head Coach Clive Griffiths has signed a new one-year extension to his existing deal at Worcester Warriors.
Griffiths joined Director of Rugby Mike Ruddock at Sixways Stadium at the start of the campaign on an initial two-year deal with an option of an extension that he has now agreed after a successful first year at Warriors that has seen the club reach the final of the European Challenge Cup.
Head Coach Griffiths has enjoyed a glittering coaching career after playing spells with Llanelli, where he was capped by Wales, before switching codes to rugby league in 1979 by joining St Helens and then Salford.
Griffiths 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. He also coached the Great Britain rugby league Lions in 1996 on the Oceania tour.
His first coaching role back in union was Director of Rugby with London Welsh for three seasons before roles as backs and assistant coach with Swansea and Newport Gwent Dragons. He joined the Wales set-up under Graham Henry as defence co-ordinator and had five full seasons with the national side, winning the Grand Slam in 2005. He enjoyed a successful spell as Director of Rugby at Doncaster Knights before his move to Warriors 12 months ago.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Worcester Warriors and I’m pleased to agree an extension and continue the work we are doing here at Sixways Stadium,” said Griffiths.
“It has been a year of ups and downs and the run without a win at the start of the season was the first time I have ever experienced something like that in my entire career. But in many ways it galvanised the players and coaching staff and made us even stronger and the team we are today.
“It’s been great to be back in the top-flight of rugby. As much as I enjoyed last year with Doncaster in National One, working with international players and up and coming youngsters who you can see real potential in has been fantastic. The likes of Chris Pennell, Jonny Arr, Miles Benjamin and Joe Carlisle in the backs and players like Matt Mullan, Tom Wood, James Collins and Matt Cox in the forwards have all grown this season.
“The ultimate challenge now is to take Warriors into a regular spot in the top six and beyond. How fantastic it is after all the trials and tribulations of this season that we are also just one game away from the Heineken Cup next season too.
“I must pay tribute to the support both I and the Warriors have received this season. The fans have backed us all the way and the small bunch that went to freezing Bucuresti I will never forget, that was an unreal situation and summed up the dedicated, passionate and loyal supporters we have at Sixways. When we went to Gran Parma it was like a home game and the Worcester fans have shown this season that they are amongst the best in the land.
“I have been nothing but impressed with the way the club is planning to take off and grow with the new stadium development and the strides being made by the players on the pitch. The vision at Warriors is to be the very best and that is part of an exciting journey that I’m delighted to be a part of.”
Warriors Director of Rugby Mike Ruddock said: “Clive’s pedigree speaks for itself and he is a proven high quality coach who is able to utilise his skills in just about every area of the game.
“I have worked with him for a number of years since we first got together for Wales A and that partnership continued with Newport Gwent Dragons and the Wales senior side.
“I’m delighted that Clive has been able to commit to another year at Warriors for what will hopefully be another exciting chapter in our coaching partnership.”