New coach is backed by Tigers skipper (From Prestwich and Whitefield Guide)

New coach is backed by Tigers skipper

10:00am Thursday 13th September 2012 in Sport

SEDGLEY Tigers’ signing of former Wales defence coach Clive Griffiths has had an immediate impact.

Griffiths has specific responsibility for tightening up the Tigers’ defence, which was seen to be one of their biggest problems in the last couple of seasons.

And the fruits of his labour are beginning to be witnessed after encouraging performances in the opening two games of the season.

After losing 20-14 away to a highly-rated Rosslyn Park, they beat Macclesfield 39-17 at Park Lane on Saturday.

Injured captain, Garth Dew, said the introduction of Griffiths, a former Wales international player as well as top club and international coach, could be key this season.

“Clive Griffiths is the main signing this season,” said Dew who has been out long-term and could return in two months.

“He is ex-Wales defence coach and been a Premiership coach, and he has brought some new ideas in.

“Instead of getting players, we have brought in more experience on the coaching team.

“His big thing is defence, and that’s where we were poor last year. He is concentrating on tightening that up.

“The aim this season is to do better than last season. Every club is trying to build an infrastructive to finish in the top four and ultimately to try to get to the Championship.

“We want to make sure our points-against is lower this year.

“Last year was a massive improvement on the previous two or three seasons, and we want to keep that momentum going, but the league is so strong you don’t know what is going to happen.”

The Tigers will be looking to build on the momentum from the weekend’s victory when they travel to Tynedale on Saturday.

The Whitefield men romped into a 20-3 lead with tries by Juan Crous and Richard Oxley and two penalties and two conversions from Steve Collins.

A comeback saw Macclesfield get it back to 20-10 at the break and then to 20-17 within two minutes of the restart.

But Sedgley regained control again with two tries from Oxley and one from Chris Wilkinson and a conversion each from Collins and Andrew Riley.