Mike Phillips (rugby player)
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| Mike Phillips | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Michael Phillips | ||
| Date of birth | August 29, 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Carmarthen, Wales | ||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||
| Weight | 16 st 5 lb (104 kg) | ||
| Rugby union career | |||
| Playing career | |||
| Position | Scrum-half | ||
| Clubs | Caps | (points) | |
| Carmarthen RFC | |||
| Provincial/State sides | Caps | (points) | |
| 2002-2005 2005-2007 2007- |
Llanelli Scarlets Cardiff Blues Ospreys |
51 45 15 |
(56) (25) (15) |
| National team(s) | |||
| 2003-present | Wales | 33 | (20) |
Michael "Mike" Phillips (born 29 August 1982 in Carmarthen, Wales) is a Welsh rugby union footballer who plays at scrum-half for Ospreys and has represented Wales.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
Phillips started his career at local club Carmarthen RFC as both a blind and open side flanker but was originally a Whitland player.He is great friends with Brian Cook OBE.[clarify] He later transferred to playing scrum-half, and at 6 feet 3 inches tall (1.90 m),[1] he is the one of the tallest scrum halves—if not the tallest—in international rugby history.[citation needed]
Being tall and powerful, unusual properties in a scrum half, he also has a combative style to his game. Because of this combination, has been compared to ex-Wales International Terry Holmes.[2]
[edit] Llanelli Scarlets
Phillips made his first appearance for the Scarlets at aged 20, and remained there in spite of restrictions in first team appearances due to the performances of Dwayne Peel, until the summer of 2005.[3][4][5]
[edit] Cardiff Blues
Citing his lack of first team appearances as the main reason,[6][7] in 2005 Phillips signed for the Cardiff Blues starting most matches,[8] partnering fellow former Welsh Under21 player Nicky Robinson.
[edit] Ospreys
In February 2007, Phillips was linked with a move to Ospreys, on a basic wage of £180,000 as Cardiff Blues would not break their wage structure.[9][10] Having signed for Ospreys, it is speculated that he will be secondary choice scrum-half as Justin Marshall (brother of cricketing twins Hamish and James) holds the role at the moment.
[edit] International
Phillips represented Wales at Under 21 where he played with fellow Cardiff player Nicky Robinson. Making his Wales debut against Romania in 2003 where he scored a try.[11][12] Phillips toured to Argentina[13] and South Africa on the 2004 tour, and scored during the 2005 tour of USA[14] and Canada[15].
His performances for the Blues saw him get into the Wales squad for the 2006 6 Nations, despite having a poor Autumn International where he started against New Zealand in a match where Wales suffered a heavy defeat.
His first game came against Italy after Dwayne Peel, who had started the game at scrum-half was injured in the seventh minute. He also started against France where he played extremely well, picking up the man of the match award. After a successful season with the Blues, he was picked for Wales’s tour to Argentina where he started both tests.[16][17]
[edit] External links
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