THE PROCESS CONTINUES
JON ABY -Current Gogledd Cymru Coach greets new head coach CLIVE GRIFFITHS
L-R William Bown (capt), Kenton Morgan, Jon Aby, Clive Griffiths, Peredur Jenkins, Joe Lydon, John Hardy
"To be the best region in Wales and the most player centred health conscious team in Europe" These first words on this blog - were as ambitious and to some ridiculous as the prospect that a 2005 Wales Grand Slam Coach would be appointed as head coach within 3 years.
Today, the process continued with the appointment of Clive Griffiths, Rudi Meir and Jon Aby as the coaching team and the announcement that 10 Canadians would join Gogledd Cymru in January to play at least 10 top quality fixtures.
Clive brings to the team experience, confidence, a public profile and a track record of achievment.
Rudi, Senior Lecturer at Southern Cross University, New South Wales brings the application of scientific excellence and research. "To be the best, we cannot follow" commented Rygbi Gogledd Cymru Chair, Kenton Morgan. "Rudi has experience in not just doing the research that will make us leaders but in implementing it. We look forward to his arrival"
Jon Aby's team was complimented by Sale's Kinglsey Jones on Scrum V recently. It is his expertise and commitment that has brought Gogledd Cymru to its current position.
This development can be seen as just reward for the efforts of those players who have played an extra 20 games in the last 3 seasons, in addition to club commitments, for no more reward than a dream. "William Bown has been an inspirational captain. He is a great role model for every young player in North Wales." commented Morgan.
At the end of last season Gogledd Cymru recognised the need for a "step up" in performance and requested help from the WRU in achieveing this. Joe Lydon, Performance and Development manager responded to this by dovetailing the development needs of Rugby Canada with those of Gogledd Cymru. The arrival of 10 Canadians will elevate the performance and provide those players of that standard in North Wales with the framework to play in.
This will also allow the Cooperative Community Interest Company, Rygbi Gogledd Cymru, to grow the business and will provide young players in North Wales with the opportunity denied to previous generations.
The unique partnership between Rygbi Gogledd Cymru CIC, Conwy County Borough Council and the WRU is bringing top quality rugby to North Wales. This is a process en route to a Premiership place.
Our challenge now is to sustained this. There can be no more false dawns. It is up to every person, business and club in the region to get behind this project. Rygbi Gogledd Cymru's aim is to represent everything that is best about North Wales