Betts the perfect man for Widnes, says Ah Van

Widnes winger Patrick Ah Van says Vikings head coach Denis Betts was perfectly matched for the job at the Stobart Stadium.

Betts was appointed Head Coach at Widnes ahead of the 2011 season after a five year spell in rugby union with Gloucester.

The former Great Britain Coach was then entrusted with leading them this year in their first season back in Super League.

Over the three years, the Vikings aim is to establish themselves as a well run outfit which could compete for honours in the top flight.

Ah Van said: “When I first met with Denis and Paul they explained the club’s vision, and I was pretty much sold on that straight away! It’s an exciting time for the club and I saw the opportunity to be a part of something special.

“I think he’s a great coach, and perfectly matched to the job at Widnes. He received an awful lot of criticism for our poor start to the season, which to be honest I didn’t agree with.

“I’m not the type of person to make excuses, we always said it was going to be a three year process to make our mark on Super League and I’d like to think we’ve begun to come together as a team towards the end of this first season.

“I’m enjoying my time at Widnes and have another year here where I hope I can continue to help the Vikings achieve their goals.”

The ex-New Zealand Warrior was signed by Betts at the start of the 2012 season from the Bradford Bulls.

He has scored 16 tries and 34 goals in 20 appearances for the Vikings in his debut season.