Fishguard and Goodwick RFC are currently sitting proudly atop the Welsh Rugby Union’s Division Three (West) B table with a 100% record, and there is no doubt that one of the key factors in their success has been the return of James Griffiths.
 
James plays at outside half and loves nothing better than running at the opposition defence or calling his backs into action, but he also has more strings to his rugby bow.
 

James is a points machine

 
As well as being strong in defence he is something of a points machine because in just six league games this campaign he has amassed 166 points at an average of almost 27 per game, with 14 tries, 39 conversions and six penalties.
 
He is well down the road of chasing his previous try record of 28 in one season and for those who love figures his points tally in each match is as follows:
Pembroke Dock Harlequins (32); Laugharne (20); St Davids (26); Llangwm (36); St Clears 32) and Pembroke (20)
 
He missed the opening match of the season against Milford Haven but made up for being in work that day with four tries in each of the games against St Clears and Llangwm!
 

Higher level – and sevens success

 
It is easy to see why James still holds ambitions to play at a higher level because he has already played for Llanelli and Narberth – and is only 21 years old now!
 
His rugby-playing attributes have also seen him play sevens for both Carmarthen Warriors and Crymych as well as playing rugby league for the Celtic Warriors Youth team and for Wales after initially being invited after being spotted playing for Fishguard in a Pembrokeshire Cup semi-final.
 

Rugby league experience – and honours

 
“I went up to Cardiff for a trial and really enjoyed rugby league, which is even more physical than rugby union, and in training we tackled and tackled as if our lives depended on it.
 
“I was invited to play on a regular basis, which meant a huge amount of travel for my father Paul, because we trained twice a week and played home matches in Cardiff, as well as travelling to matches against famous names like Wigan Warriors, Bradford Bulls, Warrington Wolves, Leeds Rhinos and St Helens, with away games often played as a warm-up before the clubs’ home matches, in front of big crowds.
 

Steep learning curve

 
“One of my rugby league highlights was undoubtedly playing for Wales against England in Cardiff, where we should have won but conceded late points and ended up with a 26-all draw.
 
“Putting on the Welsh jersey and hearing the national anthem being played was amazing and to cap a great day I also scored one of our tries!”
 
“But the next week we played Australia, who were different class and we were smashed by over 40 points.
 
“They showed us how rugby league should be played – they were awesome!”
 

Football start but soon a junior Seagull

 
As a nipper, James played some football as a defender with Goodwick United but it was rugby which captured his attention after watching his older brother Craig playing for the Seagulls.
 
He started out himself at under nine level with Jonathan ‘J.J’ Jones and Steve Morgans involved in his early development, and played for five years in the county junior set-up alongside other young Fishguard players in Chris Shousha, Mike Jenkins, Rhys Lewis, Mel McVeigh, Owain and Rhodri Morgans.
 

Gaining experience – and a brilliant tour

 
Luke Harvatt, Ashley Sutton, Gareth Thomas and Jack Warby were others in the same squad and his father Paul was team manager, and during that time James set out as a flanker but switched to the No 10 shirt when he was playing for the under 15s.
 
“I also played there for Ysgol Bro Gwaun,” James told us, “and we won the Pembrokeshire Schools title one year by beating Ysgol y Preseli, as well as losing to them another year.
 
“We had a brilliant school tour to Barbados, organised by Emyr Hughes, Min and Paul Walsh,” added James, “playing a series of sevens’ matches against some very useful sides.”
 

Senior debut and Millennium memories

 
James played one season of youth rugby where he made his senior debut in a KO Cup tie at Heywood Lane against a strong Tenby United side. The Seagulls lost but it showed James what he could expect as he moved up into the adult ranks.
 
Then it was on to one of the undoubted highlights of his career so far as the Seagulls reached the final of the Swalec Bowl against Wattstown, at the Millennium Stadium.
“We had won promotion the previous season but nothing compared to that day, which we had earned after being Cilfynydd in the semi-final,” admitted James.
 
“Outside the ground and then in the stadium seemed awash with blue and white – it was something none of us will ever forget after ten buses, a chartered train which had to have coaches added, and loads of cars made the trek to cheer us on”
 
James kicked a penalty and scored an early try which he converted to give the Seagulls an early 10-point lead but a couple of yellow cards at the wrong times saw them edged out be very physical opponents.
 
“We were naturally gutted to lose but we were the first Pembrokeshire team to play at the Millennium Stadium and we have a superb video of the build up to the match and the actual game, as a further memento of our special day.”
 

Llanelli and Narberth matches

 
It was after that match that James was invited to train with Llanelli and played a few games before starting the next season with them.
 
Sadly, he didn’t always get the game time he hoped for but was chosen as man of the match against Tata Steel and still managed to score enough points to end up the season as second top scorer.
 
James also played a few games with Narberth and enjoyed that experience, but decided he would return to Fishguard for this campaign so that could focus on completing his apprenticeship with Western Power.
 

And finally . . .

 
“It’s been great working with coaches Huw Evans and Nathan Jenkins, plus great characters like Randall Williams, Romeo Colella and the rest of a very good team but at the end of the season I will look at my options and decide where it is best for me to continue my rugby playing experience.”
 
It is a fait bet that his decision might take James Griffiths away from Fishguard and Goodwick RFC but he has made a significant contribution to their play and everyone at the club will surely join us in wishing him continued success if this talented young rugby player does move further up the ladder!