Indigenous coach Griffiths to lead Cook Islands

NRL Indigenous All Stars team coach Ron Griffiths has been appointed the new head coach of the Cook Islands women’s rugby league team ahead of the Pacific Championships later this year.

Griffiths, also the Warriors NRLW coach, will take charge of the Moana in the Pacific Cup against Papua New Guinea and Tonga.

“I really enjoy coaching and it is another opportunity to do something different and work with the Cook Islands,” Griffiths said.

NRLW success

“One thing that I have made really evident or clear is that I only want to do the job if there are some Cook Islands coaches around me that we can develop to take over the job.

“I coach the Indigenous All Stars and being an Aboriginal man I feel it should be someone of Aboriginal descent so for me, if I was going to coach Cook Islands, it was important that it was only short term to help them to develop some coaches and then step away.”

Griffiths has had success as coach of the Newcastle Knights NRLW team, winning two premierships.