Mike Phillips to call time on international rugby?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/23218148

Mike Phillips admits he is considering his future as an international player after helping the Lions to a 2-1 Test series win in Australia.
The 30-year-old scrum-half has one year remaining on his contract with Bayonne.
And in a column for the Mail on Sunday Phillips says clubs might not sign him if he is still playing for Wales.
"It may well be that if I want to play on at club level, I'll have to call time on my international career... in the not too distant future," he said.

"It's something I'm going to think long and hard about and I've got some decisions to make in the next year."
Phillips made his fifth Lions Test appearance in the 41-16 win over Australia in Sydney, which clinched a first Test series victory for the Lions since 1997. He played in all three Tests on the Lions' last tour, of South Africa in 2009.
"If [Saturday's match] is to be the last game of international rugby that I play, then what a way to bow out.
"Added to that, Wales fought back to win the Six Nations last season. Who knows? I'm just glad it's the end of the season now and I can enjoy it."
Phillips has won 77 caps for Wales and was a key member of the teams which won the Six Nations Grand Slam in 2008 and 2012, and retained the championship in 2013.
He will have a scan on a knee injury on Monday and is likely to need a "small operation" to rectify a problem which hindered him throughout the tour.
The farmer's son from Bancyfelin in Carmarthenshire missed the second Test in Melbourne, with coach Warren Gatland saying the injury was a factor.
However, Phillips started the decisive third Test and played a key role in the build-up to Alex Corbisiero's second-minute try, before being substituted in the second half.
He said: "I won't be on the next Lions tour, but five caps and three wins? I'm happy with that."


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As debatable as Phillips impact is, the fact is, Wales have nobody better - losing Phillips before the WC would be a huge blow, and leave us will an inexperienced 9/10 axis for a while.

wales606 wrote:
As debatable as Phillips impact is, the fact is, Wales have nobody better - losing Phillips before the WC would be a huge blow, and leave us will an inexperienced 9/10 axis for a while.

Better now than in 12 months time.

Warren Fury is back in the aviva next season with Newcastle... he's been a stand in before

RDSguru wrote:
Warren Fury is back in the aviva next season with Newcastle... he's been a stand in before

Blimey that is unfair. How to burst the euphoric bubble our welsh colleagues are enjoying.

Lloyd Williams
Tavis Knoyle
Rhys Webb

Those are the only capped scrum halves about I believe

Quick someone call Richie Rees back into the fold!

Dwayne Peel?

wales606 wrote:Lloyd Williams
Tavis Knoyle
Rhys Webb

Those are the only capped scrum halves about I believe

Quick someone call Richie Rees back into the fold!

And Warren Fury... 3 caps I think?

I think the IRB should find clubs that continue to prevent international release...!

Money hungry club profitiers making a mockery of our sport...

LondonTiger wrote:

RDSguru wrote:
Warren Fury is back in the aviva next season with Newcastle... he's been a stand in before

Blimey that is unfair. How to burst the euphoric bubble our welsh colleagues are enjoying.

The beauty of euphoria is that we don't care.  

Sounds like he's doing it to make himself a more attractive prospect for a big club to buy. Maybe it's best for Wales as well as himself if his brain is muddled by the glamour of French paychecks and he doesn't fully focus on his national duty.

Anybody who watched Rhodri Williams, the under 20 scrum half in this year's junior world cup will know that the welsh number 9 shirt is in good hands.

Scrumdown wrote:Anybody who watched Rhodri Williams, the under 20 scrum half in this year's junior world cup will know that the welsh number 9 shirt is in good hands.

Very up and down for the Scarlets the season before last though - hopefully that has improved.

wales606 wrote:

Scrumdown wrote:Anybody who watched Rhodri Williams, the under 20 scrum half in this year's junior world cup will know that the welsh number 9 shirt is in good hands.

Very up and down for the Scarlets the season before last though - hopefully that has improved.

As well as Rhodri there are also Tom Habberfield and Aled Davies looking good. All under 21.

I think Phillips is wise. Two things here:

One, there is a good chance when past 30 he will begin to slow down and might not even be picked for International duty come 2013 6Ns or certainly 2014, and

Two: if he looks after himself like Wilkinson he could have another five-six years at the top level in club rugby. Combining club and international rugby could curtail that.

All in all he has been an outstanding servant for clubs, Wales and The Lions.

He may be jumping before he is pushed, Gatland has dropped him once and we know Gatland goes for younger players, AI's will be interesting. Phillips has admitted the physical aspects are getting to him like many players these days.

  "he will begin to slow down"!!!! Don't feed the trolls FHF

I think Richie Rees is a great number 9 even when he played in the barbarian side and scored that try. He seems to be overlooked or has he been injured?

8 tries in 77 caps isn't a great return even if he has contributed in other ways.

Compared to say Ben Youngs 6 tries in 33.

RubyGuby wrote:  "he will begin to slow down"!!!! Don't feed the trolls FHF

Why does anyone who think Phillips is not a god automatically a troll? It is possible to believe he is a mighty fine rugby player yet at the same time believe he is deficient in certain scrum half skills.


I would have loved to see a fully fit Mike Phillips get the armchair ride that the palpably unfit Phillips got. Sadly his knee prevented him getting to much more than 1 in 3 breakdowns, and he did not have the oomph needed to force a break. Against England in March he was fit, firing and excellent. Yesterday he was unfit, laboured and poor.

maestegmafia wrote:I think the IRB should find clubs that continue to prevent international release...!

Money hungry club profitiers making a mockery of our sport...

There's preventing international release on the one hand, and there's not signing players who you know will be away for huge chunks of the season on the other. If a club simply tries to stop you playing for your country when that was not a condition of your employment then that's bad, but if they only offer you the contract in the first place on the condition that you are not playing international rugby, and will therefore be available for the whole season, then I don't see what the problem is.

 Maybe because they just suggest he had a shoite game (which he didn't) without bothering to acknowledge that he was carrying an injury - just maybe  like

Injury or not, he did have a pretty shoite game when you consider the platform he was given. That's not to deny that he can be superb, or that he might have been carrying an injury. If he WAS carrying an injury then the performance isn't really a reflection on him, but he shouldn't have been playing.

LondonTiger wrote:

RubyGuby wrote:  "he will begin to slow down"!!!! Don't feed the trolls FHF

Why does anyone who think Phillips is not a god automatically a troll? It is possible to believe he is a mighty fine rugby player yet at the same time believe he is deficient in certain scrum half skills.


I would have loved to see a fully fit Mike Phillips get the armchair ride that the palpably unfit Phillips got. Sadly his knee prevented him getting to much more than 1 in 3 breakdowns, and he did not have the oomph needed to force a break. Against England in March he was fit, firing and excellent. Yesterday he was unfit, laboured and poor.

I think it was a joke about him slowing down when he is already so slow. In the words of Ice Cube, chill the f**k out!

Never made any secret about the fact I don't rate him. I do respect his strength, his abrasiveness and the fact he has made a good career as a test match scrummy, with 6N grandslams and a winning lions tour to his name. He played a good game with a poor hand. He was never blessed with the key scrum half skills but he has still achieved a lot.

I do admire Phillips for deciding to retire from international rugby.

I do wish other players when they get to Mike's age, yes i know he his only 30 odd, but he as had problems with knee for a while.

Wales now have time to look for another 9 for the future. At least he as given the Welsh squad notice before the season/ Ais start.

jammoboss wrote:I think Richie Rees is a great number 9 even when he played in the barbarian side and scored that try. He seems to be overlooked or has he been injured?

He's been at Edinburgh for a season (or is it 2) so has been out of sight slightly (although obviously in the same league). Gatland is a bit, how shall I say, wishy washy with his threats to not pick players playing elsewhere. Basically, if he deems there are better or equal players playing at home then he'll give them the nod over overseas rivals (and that's fair enough IMO). If not, he'll select overseas players with no problems which is why Phillips in No.1 No.9.

However, Rees is signed for the Dragons for this coming season so who knows, he may get back in if he can show up well.

The cupboard isn't bare, but it isn't full of polished articles either, if that makes sense. We're just looking for people to kick on. Gatland has form for chucking players in to the Wales team very young just to 'blood' them. Maybe he'll do the same for a SH soon.

There's:
Rhodri Williams
Richie Rees
Tavis Knoyle
Jonny Evans
Lloyd Williams
Rhys Webb
Habberfield
Wayne Evans
Liam Davies

Not to mention forgotten men in Martin Roberts (still at Saints?), Dwayne Peel, Wayne Fury - maybe all past it, but how knows.

And lots I've forgotten!

In that list there's a bit of international and u20 experience, but Phillips has sort of blocked their way a bit. Time to try some new ones out. I'd like to see Lloyd a bit more, although I've been critical of him in the past. Give him the AI's and see how he goes as he's been the no.2 no.9 for a while how. Get Rhodri Williams in the camp for experience. Not sure who match day back up shoud be? Tavis is inconsistent (like Lloyd).

Tricky!

UM what happens now I guess. We have a lot of descent 9's in Wales but none tht even touch Mike when he is on form.
Now Richie Rees is back I would give it to him if Mike is giving up.
Players like Lloyd Williams, Aled Davies, Rhodri Williams Rhys Webb, John Evans, Gareth Davies aren't ready yet.
Don't even consider Warren Fury.
Tavis Knoyls blows hot and cold, if he gets good time at Gloucester and playe well then maybe but thyehave Jimmy cowan and a lot of good young 9's coming through there so im not sure he will.
Richie Rees has been great for Edingburgh I think and did actually push Mike at one point. So if Mike does retire then Richie Rees is my favourite option
I would like Peel but he that ill never happen, Gatland clearly doesn't rate the man and wouldn't bring him back to the set up now as he is ageing and not playing in Wales so he has no chance.

I would have thought this was the best news possible for Welsh fans. If he retires, he can't keep getting picked.

He is clearly injured at present which must have hampered his performances but he was so far off the pace in the 2 tests he played that he wouldn't be a loss at all if he did retire.

Will be missed. Not rated outside of Wales, but I've more than a few great nights out on the back of his superb performances. If that is the end - which I very much doubt - then cheers Mike.

 He aint retiring by the way,

He had an off tour, which can be for many reasons related to camp life, not simply onfield lack of form.

I was critical of him in the first test. I actually thought he was overall okay for the third. Certainly wouldn't see his contribution as negatively as some here.

He'll recharge and probably be back for at least another season (International)...unless..................................... Gatland puts his executioner's hood on again and calls him into the office Don't go in, Phillips!!!!

 He'll be back to haunt the lot of you in the next 6 Nations - and Fly, he doesn't have a "camp life" - Night night

I suspect he wants to move to Japan next.

Jonny Evans had a good season, looking forward to seeing how he goes.

maestegmafia wrote:Jonny Evans had a good season, looking forward to seeing how he goes.

He also outplayed Phillips twice in the Dragons v Bayonne games

Risca Rev wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:Jonny Evans had a good season, looking forward to seeing how he goes.

He also outplayed Phillips twice in the Dragons v Bayonne games

Until Phillips single handedly won the game for Bayonne by deciding he'd had enough, and carried half the Dragons over the line to score the winner.
Like Evans though, very optimistic about him.

Great player for Wales and the Lions and along with Jamie Roberts a real lynchpin in the successful execution of Gatland ball.

Hasn't hit the heights of '09 but on form hes a magnificant player whos been at the heartbeat of many of Wales greatest wins and very underrated by his own fans imo.

So is Jamie Roberts & Lydiate retiring from International rugby now that they are moving to France? Jonathan Sexton seems to think he will continue to play international rugby even though he is moving to France.

Phillips probably wants to come back to Wales.

If he decides to bow out as a 6n winner and a lions tour winner tp prolong his rugby career then good luck to him. Not everyone's cup of tea on or off the pitch but a nack of being a man for the big occasions. If he does go its time for the back up SH's for Wales to step up. Williams showed promise last season during the 6N campaign. Still a big fan of Webb and Davies and of course as others have pointed out, there's Evans of the Dragons. Exiting prospects along with Rhodri Williams who looks a fantastic prospect.

I may be wrong, but I read it as he has decided he wants to stay in France and get paid more money, rather than return to a region. It would be interesting to see how Gatland alters his game plan without him.