Sacked NRL coach in Tahs role

Sydney: Axed NRL coach Anthony Griffin has found a new role helping the rival code, bobbing up as a surprise consultant for the NSW Waratahs.

Coach Daryl Gibson has turned to Griffin to help with his side’s attack ahead of the 2019 Super Rugby season and already the former Penrith and Brisbane mentor is proving a hit.

Sacked by the Panthers a month before this year’s NRL finals, Griffin jumped at the chance to run a half hour session with the Waratahs backs in Sydney.

“He was really good. It’s just different ideas and different ways of doing things,” attack coach Chris Whitaker told AAP.

“We asked him to come in and do a couple of simple little plays we’ve been doing and obviously the rugby league guys spend a lot of time running lines and running options and that’s why they’re so good at it.

“It was quite a simple session but the boys took so much out of it, especially me and Daryl.

“He’s given us a lot of ideas, that’s for sure.”

So impressive was he that Griffin’s casual consultancy won’t be a one off as the Waratahs look to build on last year’s run to the semifinals.

While the Tahs’ attack ended the 2018 campaign humming, Gibson has identified his side’s defence — which leaked 68 tries this season — as a worrying weakness.

With Steve Tandy as fulltime defence coach, the Waratahs will call on Griffin’s experience in that department too.