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Mike’s making his way in Welsh Rugby League
PembrokeshireSport.co.uk is delighted to feature this month a talented young rugby player from our county who has played rugby union for both school and county but is now making a real name for himself in rugby league with Celtic Crusaders and Wales at under 16 level.
He has already done well enough to be chosen for Wales and was thrilled to receive his Welsh Cap and jersey from former Welsh rugby union and league star John Devereux prior to making his Welsh under 16 international debut against their counterparts from England at Blackwood RFC. Mike certainly had great support from his family and friends in a crowd of around 800 because there were two busloads at the match and so he had a big cheer whenever he touched the ball. Sadly, there was no fairytale ending because Wales were shaded out by 18-16 – but Mike must have played well because he has already been selected for a tour to Serbia where Wales will take on England and France in a triangular series which hopefully will be featured on S4C soon afterwards.
Rugby union for the Blues
Mike actually played rugby union for Haverfordwest RFC last season under the expert guidance of Steve Barnett and Andrew Curtis, playing as a flanker and enjoying the hard tackling and physical confrontation around the field. He played for Haverfordwest against Narberth in the play-offs at Aberystwyth and they edged home after some desperate defence where Mike turned the ball over close to his line and a final clearance kick to touch saw the Blues’ youngsters take the verdict. The team then played at Parc y Scarlets against Carmarthen champions Burry Port but they lost 24-16 in another hard-fought tussle.
‘Sir’ starts him off in right direction
It was his games teacher, Mr Andy Barlow, who suggested that Mike might like to attend an Open Day with Celtic Crusaders at Pencoed, near Bridgend, and although Mike didn’t know anyone else there he enjoyed the experience because rugby league is faster than the union game, demands high fitness levels and has lots of running with the ball. Now Mike loves tackling and carrying the ball so he took to it straight away and was delighted to be asked to join the Celtic Crusaders Foundation Academy.
It means travelling to Bridgend three times a week in preparation for matches and he has already played against the likes of St Helens, harlequins, Bradford and Leeds, where Mike was particularly pleased with his performance against players who are far more experienced because they play rugby league in those areas as a way of life. But the gap is narrowing quickly and Mike really shows his dedication because trips to Bridgend demand him being up at 5am so that he can catch the train in Haverfordwest an hour later, arrive at 8.30am in readiness for a hard day’s work and then a return trip on the train so that he arrives home at six o’clock
Hard work in training – and family support
Training involves regular work in the gym for 90-minute sessions doing a set routine of exercises based on a circuit and then it is onto the field for practice at skills like tackling, footwork, playing the ball after a tackle, ball carrying and solid defence, amongst other things. They are coached by Aled James (a first team player) and Dan Clements, whilst Stefan Sakamla does the conditioning work and Gareth Hopkins is the team manager.
Ask Mike about support and he is quick to sing the praises of those coaches mentioned but would say that his mum Sally, who previously wasn’t very fussed on sport, is now his No 1 fan and supporter, alongside his step-father Andy Haines. Mike hails from the Griffiths sporting family of Burton Cricket Club, with dad Robert and grandparents Brian and Jean also a great help and with uncles Phil, Johnny and Mark as good sportsmen in their own right.
Other sports
Coincidentally, Mike has never been very interested in cricket but did play football for Johnston at junior level and scored a few goals from his role in midfield – and he also competed at cross-country after representing his school and then coming in the top four at Pembrokeshire level. This earned him selection for the Welsh Finals at Brecon and he came a creditable 21st in Wales after using his stamina and determination to pass 20 other runners in the final 800 metres – not bad going for someone who admits that he is not a cross country fan but only ran because he didn’t want to let his games teacher down!
Highly focussed
But it is rugby league that Mike is fully focussed upon now and he is prepared to work hard with the ultimate aim of selection for Wales in the 2013 World Cup. He is delighted that Celtic Crusaders have shown their commitment to youngsters in Wales by joining the Gillette National Youth League and so the team, including Mike, will be able to gain even greater experience as they regularly take on all the top teams. It will mean a great deal of travel, especially to away matches, most of them in the north of England, but he is more than ready for that. PembrokeshireSport.co.uk enjoyed our chat to Mike Griffiths and it is easy to see how committed he is to the job in hand – but it is doubly pleasing that he is also a sensible and modest young man who, if hard work and dedication is anything to go by, will carry the Pembrokeshire Flag with distinction in the tough world of rugby league!
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