Mike Phillips - Post 6nations

First topic message reminder :

A scrumhalf has not split opinion like this for a long, long time.

Before and during the 6nations, he had a lot of abuse thrown at him for the way he was playing, his passing in particular. Comparisons to Bergamasco at 9, him being an /extra flanker' and some 'great rugby player but not a scrumhalf in a million years' and so on.

So I thought I'd ask, after some heads have cleared form the 6nations hangover, whats your opinion on Mike Phillips and why?

Morganweg

PUT UP OR SHUT UP

you have accused me of doing things I have not. back it up or apologise

Lets see the direct quotes of "aiming some absurd vitriol his way""were adamant Laidlaw was going to teach him a lesson"

PUT UP OR SHUT UP

Some of you need to get out more.

TJ wrote:Morganweg

PUT UP OR SHUT UP

you have accused me of doing things I have not. back it up or apologise

Lets see the direct quotes of "aiming some absurd vitriol his way""were adamant Laidlaw was going to teach him a lesson"

PUT UP OR SHUT UP

On the thread I just named. And look at the way you all overreacted on the Scotland consolidation thread while you are searching.

Right - so you cannot actually substantiate what you claim.

I know what I wrote onthat threadand otehrs

I know you cannot substantiate your claims

so you claimed I and others
"aiming some absurd vitriol his way"
"were adamant Laidlaw was going to teach him a lesson"

So lets see the quotes or show yourself to be wrong.

PUT UP OR SHUT UP

Hey everyone, TJ has a new favourite saying. Can you guess what it is?

I said earlier in the tournament Phillips would prove plenty of doubters wrong and I feel he has. The value of having an unorthodox SH insofar as he's big and physical enough to not let himself get disrupted or pressurised by the opposition is often underestimated imo.

Of course I always stop short of asserting that Phillips is the best around and I feel it is perfectly reasonable to suggest that a quicker distributor could have created even more tries for Wales. But then, a smaller, quicker, nippier player would probably not have offered Phillips' defensive capabilities. Because he is a stalwart defensively, another aspect of his game which is often disregarded and I feel it sometimes does a team a world of good having a 9 who won't miss a tackle and who will even disrupt opposition possession, maybe even create a few turnovers as Phillips did on Sat. Youngs has always been associated more with the 'classic' SH model and Phillips utterly outplayed him.

Knowsit

You will have noticed that the bickering stopped about half an hour ago. There is a reason for that having happened. I'm going to edit out the first bit of your post, as it's not needed.

Cheers and apologies Ozzy, let my day get the better of me for a minute there

For what it's worth and back on topic, Mike Phillips is a bit of an enigma for me. I was never a fan pre Lions 2009, but on that tour he won me over. Then over the past couple of years I've gone back to not being a fan as I've seen him look cumbersome and more like he wants to fight the opposition than play scrum half at times. Many times I have questioned why Dwayne Peel does not play for Wales.

Yet, as you have said, Phillips works for Wales, and in top form has the ability to completely dominate his opposite number. He was a key component for Wales on Saturday.

I think it's fair to criticise Phillips for some aspects of his game, but not in the few days after he put in a performance that every other 9 in the British and Irish Isles could currently only aspire to. Considering the stick he gets, I was really proud of his performance, and the English pack probably won't forget it in a hurry.

I personally really like Danny Care, although his non tackle on Warburton on Saturday was confusing. Youngs hasn't fulfilled 50% of the promise he showed early on, but still has a lot of time to do so.
Connor Murray doesn't seem to have any actual stand out abilities (he's considerably better than I am), but I get the feeling there's a very good rugby brain in there.
Laidlaw seems competent, and is a good goal kicker, could be a bolter?
Phillips will start with Care on the bench. That constitutes plan A, and B.

Agreed, from what I've seen of him Murray looks very static as a player, hardly a game-changer imo. Care and Youngs both divide opinion greatly, I've seen the praise and the stinging criticism wash over them in equal measure. Might be worth reminding people that Youngs was taking plenty of stick at the start of 2012 and dropped behind Dickson in the England starting lineup for most of that tournament. Laidlaw has looked very solid, perhaps the most consistent option over the last 12 months.

He's clearly what chancers like laidlaw aspire to be

Have always liked Phillips, have always said he's a big game player despite the ramblings and moans by some of his countrymen over the years and gee look...another big game...here we are again...

I am one who will have to eat humble pie as I have not really rated Phillips until now. I don't know what he did differently/better this year but I think (and the Welsh can correct me if I am wrong as they will have studied it in more detail) he didn't seem to want to do too much of the back-row's work and stuck more to a 9's duties.
It must be said that his rivals for the Lions jersey were pretty poor so, barring injury or Phillips sticking the nut on Gatland, he must start the test matches

He's had a good 6N, esp against England.

Poor scrum half for me though, I still think Wales could be so much better with a scrummie with better service.

Laidlaw and Phillps for the tour...easy. Great combination and the bonus of a top line kicker and extra loose forward between them. Must haves.

Phillips is a big game player, he has his weaknesses (what player doesn't) but what he does he does very well indeed.

I have alwaus that if you have a player like Phillips either starting or on the bench then you need an opposite starting or on the bench to change the game style plan etc.

Phillips will tour thats the is no doubt and I would be very very surprised if he wasn't in the match day squad.

Fantastic player, Wales are luck to have him. When he's on song he's a match winner, a monster of a player.... has had his ups and downs alright but looks on top form right now.

Well as my name was dragged into this I will respond.


I did not rate Phillips and still do not. One good game (he was poor in most of the other games) does not change the way I think.

I however did not say he would be schooled by laid law (that is made up), I just pointed out that he lost us the 2nd lions test by not passing and trying to out muscle the forwards 5 m from the line

He still does that far too often (count how many times even in the England game he darks a yard forward ends up the bottom of a ruck leaving he job to a back rower).

That is my mind in not the job for a scrum half. - sorry my opinion but that is how I feel

He played well against England but unless he does that consistently, I still will not rate him as a scrum half

TJ wrote:You think? - Laidlaw is a fine scrum half and if he plays to his best in this 6N he could well be on the plane. He is a smart rugby player. I'd back him to make Phillips look slow and stupid. We will see.

From the "What to do with a problem like Phillips" thread - if that counts as vitriol though then some people really need to stop posting on here when they're on their period. As others have said he will probably go as he is a big game player.

Mike is great and suits the way we play agreed. But he is the worst box kicker of a rugby ball i have ever seen. 10 yards too far forward. EVERY. FECKING. TIME.

The Bachelor wrote:

TJ wrote:You think? - Laidlaw is a fine scrum half and if he plays to his best in this 6N he could well be on the plane. He is a smart rugby player. I'd back him to make Phillips look slow and stupid. We will see.

From the "What to do with a problem like Phillips" thread - if that counts as vitriol though then some people really need to stop posting on here when they're on their period. As others have said he will probably go as he is a big game player.

It is a shame that Laidlaw didn't make Phillips look slow and stupid while he was on his way to helping bag another 6 Nations title . Mikey Phillips seems to get some stick from a few people (welsh included). He plays extremely well in most international games I've seen him in and I think a lot of the flak is unjust.