Griffiths leaves Worcester Warriors

Worcester Warriors have today announced that Clive Griffiths is to leave his position as Head Coach with immediate effect.

Griffiths moved to Warriors in May 2007 as assistant to Director of Rugby Mike Ruddock and helped the club reach the European Challenge Cup final in his first full season at Sixways Stadium.

However, following a mid-season coaching review at Warriors examining the way forward, Griffiths has taken the opportunity to notify Ruddock of his intention to leave the club.

Mike Ruddock said: “It is with great difficulty that I have had to accept Clive’s decision to leave the Club. Following the mid-season review that we had, it became clear that Clive and I had differing thoughts on the best way to take the club forward.

“I have worked in partnership with Clive for a number of years and both club and international level and I would like to put on record that he is an outstanding coach with a huge amount of experience under his belt.

“Everyone at Worcester Warriors recognises the need to make further strides towards our goal of achieving Heineken Cup qualification and competing in the top four of the Guinness Premiership. Clive felt that by making this decision now to stand down as Head Coach, the club could restructure its coaching team as soon as possible to take Warriors forward into 2009 and beyond.”

Chairman Cecil Duckworth OBE said: “I would like to thank Clive for his work at Warriors and the way he had worked so tirelessly to help us to expand our style of rugby and taking us forward in the Premiership. He also helped take us to a European cup final last season which was a very memorable day for the club and our fans.

“In all, I am sorry that he is leaving us. He has shown real enthusiasm for the role at Sixways Stadium and we wish him every success in the future.”

Clive Griffiths added: “I would like to take this opportunity of thanking Cecil and Mike for their support during my time at the club. I would also like to thank the players and coaching staff for their hard work since my arrival and the fans of Worcester Warriors for their unwavering commitment to what we have achieved here at Sixways.

“I wanted to take this decision now so that the club could quickly develop a new focus, coaching philosophy and structure. It has been a very difficult and emotional decision to make but I have done so in the interests of myself, my family and the Club. I will follow the Club’s fortunes closely as I have made a number of friends at Warriors and I wish them all the very best for the future.”

Following the annoucement, Ruddock revealed the make-up of his coaching team and said: “I will now assume more responsibility, undertaken previously by the Head Coach, in my role as Director of Rugby and will have a far more hands on approach to the team.

“I will be assisted in my duties by Tony Windo who will take responsibility for our forward play, in conjunction with Andrew Stanley. Billy McGinty will look after our back line and our defence due to his long and illustrious career in rugby league.

“Keir Hansen will continue to to head up our strength and conditioning programme and Hugh Watkins continues in his role as referee consultant.”


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