Clive Griffiths to coach Gogledd Cymru

Former Wales assistant coach Clive Griffiths has been named as head coach of the fledgling north Wales rugby team Gogledd Cymru.

A move to bring in Canadian players to help the development of the region has also been rubber stamped.

Nine fixtures have been confirmed to date, beginning with a Leicester Tigers Development XV at Colwyn Bay's Parc Eirias on Friday, 15 January.

"This appointment is an exciting challenge for me," said Griffiths.

"North Wales is an untapped source of rugby talent and I hope I can help bring that to the fore.

"A number of people have been campaigning for years to raise the profile of rugby in north Wales and we can make that a reality if we all pull in the same direction.

"Hopefully we will help to raise the standard of club rugby in north Wales by creating a sense of competition for places in the side."

Ten international Canadian players will arrive in north Wales on 7 January in a move aimed to boost the standards and profile of the team, while providing competitive rugby for the elite, young Canadians.

"They [the Canadians] will be working with the WRU development officers during their time here to help and promote the game in north Wales," said Welsh Rugby Union group chief executive Roger Lewis.

"At the heart of it all is creating something that is long-term and sustainable."

Clive Griffiths at Colwyn Bay's Parc Eirias, Gogledd Cymru's home

Former Gloucester skills and conditioning coach Rudi Meir has been appointed in that same role for Gogledd Cymru, while John Aby will be an assistant coach.

After leaving Wales' senior coaching team in 2006, having been in charge of defence during the 2005 Grand Slam, Griffiths coached Doncaster rugby union side.

He then rejoined his former Wales boss Mike Ruddock at Worcester in 2007 as assistant coach, leaving in May 2009.

More recently Griffiths was fellow dual-code international Iestyn Harris' assistant when the Wales league team won the European Cup.

Gogledd Cymru fixtures 2010 (list to be finalised later in December):

• Friday 15 Jan v Leicester Tigers Development XV Parc Eirias
• Wed 20 Jan v Antiassassins (Chester) away
• Sat 30 Jan v Glamorgan Wanderers away
• 2 / 3 Feb v Scarlets Llandovery
• Wed 17 Feb v Worcester Parc Eirias
• Wed 23 Feb v Sale Jets Parc Eirias
• Wed 10 March v Leeds Parc Eirias
• Fri 19 March v Oxford University Parc Eirias
• Sat 17 April v Cross Keys Parc Eirias