Clive Griffiths - Full-back
| Date Of Birth | 02/04/1954 |
| Place Of Birth | Loughor |
| Education | Cardiff and Vale College, Gowerton Grammar School |
| Clubs | Salford Red Devils, St Helens, Penclawdd |
| Regions | Scarlets |
| Honours | Wales RL, Wales, West Wales, Wales B, Wales Schools |
| Invitational | Barbarians |
| Managed | Wales Students, Doncaster Knights, North Wales Crusaders, Canada, RGC 1404, Wales RL, Worcester Warriors, Wales, Swansea, London Welsh, South Wales (1996), St Helens |
Clive Griffiths is highly recognised as the most successful head coach ever in Welsh international rugby league having coached our sides to four World Cup semi-finals and a number of trophies at men's and student level.
But it all started when he was a player. "Clive the Ship" played for Llanelli in rugby union, was capped once for Wales in that sport and represented Barbarians, before signing for St Helens for a then world record £27,000 in 1979. In exactly 100 appearances for the club, he scored 598 points from 276 goals, 8 drop goals and 11 tries. It was there that he won his two Wales Rugby League caps. He then played for Salford for two seasons before retiring.
He joined the coaching staff at St Helens which is where this part of his career started. He became involved with Wales as their our first Students World Cup coach in 1989 before being appointed as head coach of the revived Wales men's side in the 1991-92 season. He remained as Wales Students head coach until 1992,leading them to the semi-finals of that year's World Cup. His Wales men's side, full of top level rugby union converts, won the 1995 European Championship, then reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in both 1995 and 2000. Clive stepped down following the 2000 tournament after a memorable semi-final against Australia, but returned for a brief spell in 2009 as an adviser to new head coach Iestyn Harris. He turned to coaching rugby union but came back to League with Wales Students again in 2009, coaching them to the Four Nations title, repeating that in 2012 then leading Wales Students to the 2013 World Cup semi-finals. By that time, he was head coach of the new North Wales Crusaders side, leading them to a League 1 promotion and Northern Rail Bowl double, again in 2013. His success that year gave him the League 1 Coach of the Year award, but he quit in 2014 to continue his union career with Championship club Doncaster Knights before retiring in 2020. His sons Owain and Rhys also played for Wales men and students.
But it all started when he was a player. "Clive the Ship" played for Llanelli in rugby union, was capped once for Wales in that sport and represented Barbarians, before signing for St Helens for a then world record £27,000 in 1979. In exactly 100 appearances for the club, he scored 598 points from 276 goals, 8 drop goals and 11 tries. It was there that he won his two Wales Rugby League caps. He then played for Salford for two seasons before retiring.
He joined the coaching staff at St Helens which is where this part of his career started. He became involved with Wales as their our first Students World Cup coach in 1989 before being appointed as head coach of the revived Wales men's side in the 1991-92 season. He remained as Wales Students head coach until 1992,leading them to the semi-finals of that year's World Cup. His Wales men's side, full of top level rugby union converts, won the 1995 European Championship, then reached the semi-finals of the World Cup in both 1995 and 2000. Clive stepped down following the 2000 tournament after a memorable semi-final against Australia, but returned for a brief spell in 2009 as an adviser to new head coach Iestyn Harris. He turned to coaching rugby union but came back to League with Wales Students again in 2009, coaching them to the Four Nations title, repeating that in 2012 then leading Wales Students to the 2013 World Cup semi-finals. By that time, he was head coach of the new North Wales Crusaders side, leading them to a League 1 promotion and Northern Rail Bowl double, again in 2013. His success that year gave him the League 1 Coach of the Year award, but he quit in 2014 to continue his union career with Championship club Doncaster Knights before retiring in 2020. His sons Owain and Rhys also played for Wales men and students.
