North must wait bit longer for first test
Jan 15 2010 by Rob Griffiths, Daily Post
North must wait bit longer for first test
NORTH Wales will have to wait an extra few days before seeing a new chapter of rugby union in the region finally get underway.
Renamed RGC 1404 last week, the newly branded Gogledd Cymru side were due to play a Leicester Tigers Development XV tonight at Eirias Park, their first match since the arrival of nine professional players from Canada.
However, a frozen pitch at the Colwyn Bay ground has seen the match cancelled, but head coach Clive Griffiths admits it could prove to be a blessing in disguise.
“We’ve only had a few days and it’s been a quick fix,” said Griffiths. “The boys (Canadians) arrived on Tuesday and we had a session on Tuesday, two yesterday and one this morning, that’s just four sessions and there’s a lot of things to do in rugby union.
“We’ll now have a bit more time together and hopefully next week’s game will take place and then we can get out there and get the thing going.”
RGC will now turn their attention to their next scheduled fixture, a trip to Chester next Wednesday to take on the Antiassassins.
But for now Griffiths is relishing the arrival of the nine Canadians, with one Nanyak Dala, still to arrive pending recovery from an eye injury.
“It is a new challenge,” added the Grand Slam winning coach.
“But the first thing I’ve got to say is how quickly these boys have taken to the venture and the whole plan of raising the standard of rugby in the whole of North Wales.
“They’re very, very coachable and I’ve really looked forward to the whole thing, but now they are here it has added impotence to the whole venture and I’m really looking forward to getting a team out on the field and integrating the Welsh boys with the Canadians.”
And Griffiths was also full of praise for the homegrown North Walian players, who are being asked to fill the gaps around the Canadians for the time being.
He said: “They’ve (the North Wales players) been terrific as well, but I think they’ve been a bit nervous too.
“The first few sessions they knew they were under the spotlight and they knew these boys were coming over and it could be their position that was being taken, so I think there was a little bit of nervousness about that, but we’ve told them all to relax and what will be will be.
“It’s a long term thing and for some of these boys to rub shoulders with these guys, last night we had a training session and we could see it rubbing off on them and the North Wales boys raising their levels and level of skill so it’s working already, having just had one session together.
“It’s a great part of history for North Wales rugby and Welsh rugby, and we looked good last night and I could see a couple of the boys who’ve been involved in setting up this initiative for a long time sitting in the corner and just purring away and they were delighted with what they were seeing.
“It’s a great challenge and very excited and looking forward to it and the next few months are going to be very, very exciting and challenging along the way.”
Griffiths added: “I’m here until the end of April and things will be assessed along the way, whoever it is takes this thing forward it is exciting.
“The goal (semi-professional rugby) is achievable as I’ve said earlier, but it needs a great deal of support on and off the field, it needs some finance and it needs quality players and the idea of these Canadian boys will help raise that standard.
“But not only the players, but the coaches as well, if we can all be singing off the same hymn sheet and playing the same type of game and philosophies towards rugby then it will be a big factor in the success as well.”
