Phillips returns to Welsh squad

What the title says, full article: here


Looks like he's seeking help for his behaviour problems (which makes me think he's actually got a real problem off the field). Not sure if it's a good thing he's back in or not, but tis hardly a surprise I guess!

BBC wrote

"Cardiff Blues' Lloyd Williams, who Wales coach Warren Gatland called in to replace Phillips when the ban was announced, remains in the squad.Phillips back as Wales ban lifted"

Wow, that did not take long did it?

He is told by the WRU not to report to the Welsh team for an indeffenet length of time. And now what is it, 2/3weeks now, and he is back in the team/squad.

Like i said, did not take long did it?

majesticimperialman wrote:Wow, that did not take long did it?

He is told by the WRU not to report to the Welsh team for an indeffenet length of time. And now what is it, 2/3weeks now, and he is back in the team/squad.

Like i said, did not take long did it?

THe situation was resolved with the police a week ago when Phillips dropped the charges.

If anything this could have been done and dusted quicker.

maestegmafia wrote:

majesticimperialman wrote:Wow, that did not take long did it?

He is told by the WRU not to report to the Welsh team for an indeffenet length of time. And now what is it, 2/3weeks now, and he is back in the team/squad.

Like i said, did not take long did it?

THe situation was resolved with the police a week ago when Phillips dropped the charges.

If anything this could have been done and dusted quicker.

That is my point exactly, why did they suspend him in the first place if, if they had no intention of kicking out of the team/squad.

Maybe the WRU could take a lesson from this situation. And that is, do not suspend any body from the team/squad untill you have all the fatcs.

No charges against him and no further allegations have been made so apart from possibly breaking a curfew there is nothing else that could see him serve a longer ban.

maestegmafia
The incident regarding Phillips dropping the charges was in 2008 but the BBC listed it on their site last week.

Oh you are kidding me! For goodness sakes - there goes any hope of dignity or quick ball

Unless Phillips picks up his form again drastically there's a chance he won't be starting anyway...dare I hope. Can't see him going back any further than the bench whatever the case, even with one leg in a cast.

Not sure one and a half weeks sounds right for a breach of curfew but either way the least that needs to happen now is close surveillance of Phillips' actions towards fixing any problems he has. He's promised an effort, now it must be ensured he'll follow it up.

majesticimperialman wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

majesticimperialman wrote:Wow, that did not take long did it?

He is told by the WRU not to report to the Welsh team for an indeffenet length of time. And now what is it, 2/3weeks now, and he is back in the team/squad.

Like i said, did not take long did it?

THe situation was resolved with the police a week ago when Phillips dropped the charges.

If anything this could have been done and dusted quicker.

That is my point exactly, why did they suspend him in the first place if, if they had no intention of kicking out of the team/squad.

Maybe the WRU could take a lesson from this situation. And that is, do not suspend any body from the team/squad untill you have all the fatcs.

Usually the facts are clearer.

I dont think they acted in an incorrect fashion.

Phillips did not drop any charges last week that was done in 2008 there were no charges to drop regarding this latest incident.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7711075.stm
The above link was on the BBC website last week so that's maybe where the confusion stems from.

Cymroglan wrote:Phillips did not drop any charges last week that was done in 2008 there were no charges to drop regarding this latest incident.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7711075.stm
The above link was on the BBC website last week so that's maybe where the confusion stems from.

The reports of the whole incidents were smeared with confusion.

I think the "indefinite suspension" was actually quite shrewd by the WRU because it gave them wiggle room until they got the full facts.
Phillips has not been in form for a while now but no genuine rugby supporter wants to see a player of his stature in that sort of embarrassing situation.
I hope for his sake it isn't the start of a slippery slope.

maestegmafia wrote:The reports of the whole incidents were smeared with confusion.

Smeared with confusion? I thought it was ketchup and mayonnaise. Apparently Phillips has still got a gherkin stain on his chinos.

Messy business

The "suspension" (if you can call it that) just shows the unions will serve their own interests and really don't care about alleged indiscretions. Wales need Phillips in the same way that England need Cueto and their periods of absence were set accordingly.

cardiffstu wrote:The "suspension" (if you can call it that) just shows the unions will serve their own interests and really don't care about alleged indiscretions. Wales need Phillips in the same way that England need Cueto and their periods of absence were set accordingly.

Two weeks for an argument over a Big Mac vs 12 weeks for eye gouging...!

I'm not comparing the acts, just the way in which the Unions look after themselves. Add into that Tuilagi's hook to Ashton if you want, all the bans fit into the Unions own plans irrespective of the offence.

Cueto should have had six months. Phillips should have had enough money to pay for a Big Mac.

Still havent managed to discover what really caused the incident involving Phillips. I am sure he wished he had just gone home instead of surrendering to the post beer junk food craving...

He isn't the first or last to feel that way i am sure...

This is so not a story and no surprise to anyone. Gatland & the WRU are no different to any other national management in rushing offenders back to the fold considered important to the team. The only notable thing is a player as poor as Phillips is considered important by Wales. Actually, that's not surprising either is it.

NewTraditionalHaka wrote:This is so not a story and no surprise to anyone. Gatland & the WRU are no different to any other national management in rushing offenders back to the fold considered important to the team. The only notable thing is a player as poor as Phillips is considered important by Wales. Actually, that's not surprising either is it.

Well as long as Knoyle isn't near the squad (which I don't believe he should be) then Phillips is quite a handy player to have in your 23. He showed it against the baa-baa's; Ok I know his decision making was also bad at times but consdering the lack of playing time he had going into that compared with his team-mates/opposition... Lloyds Williams or Ritchie Rees starting then Mike Phillips coming off the bench sometime in the second half can be put to good use, especially against the tough teams.

nottins_jones wrote:Well as long as Knoyle isn't near the squad

I couldn't disagree with you more about Knoyle mate. I think he is a fantastic player, better game reader and more skilful than our other options. I wish we had given him more time earlier in the last two years in a Welsh shirt.

He has been a massive part in all the good work at the scarlets, quick at moving the right ball, and directing play where it needed to go. I am sure he will prove you wrong.

maestegmafia wrote:

nottins_jones wrote:Well as long as Knoyle isn't near the squad

He has been a massive part in all the good work at the scarlets, quick at moving the right ball, and directing play where it needed to go. I am sure he will prove you wrong.

sorry mate, again I couldn't disagree with you more. At the Scarlets I believe the massive good work to be down to Nigel Davies...then a few of the players Jones, Priestland, JD2 and a few other youngsters that Nigel has brought on through. His passing is slow (perhaps on par with Phillips here) and his play is very erratic. I've seen what he's capable of but it's always been against the lower/weak sides. Against the big sides his execution of passing and kicking is very poor along with his decision making. He's often compared to Mike Phillips and people then go on to say that he should be in the squad ahead of Phillips whilst he has all the same faults! For now it's one or the other and out of the two I'd rather Mike Phillips in the squad. He has all the experience, attributes and at this moment in time can offer a lot more.

Knoyle will likely become a very good scrum half if he stays at the Scarlets but has never deserved a Welsh cap and certainly doesn't deserve to be anywhere near the Wales team on current form.

I would compare Knoyle to being much more like Peel in his 2005 prime rather than Phillips. But he also has the pace of Howley.

He has a fantastic pass. YOu must be thinking of someone else...?

Here is a nice clip

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/8549548.stm

Knoyle is a good player, not great yet. He's got all the attributes of Phillips yet, but the key difference at the moment is that he's actually able to get the ball out from the base of the rucks to the backs a heck of a lot quicker than Phillips can at the moment. Knoyle's pass isn't excellent, yet, but he's been in great form this season, and with so much to improve on as well he's a very exciting player. Well deserving of his Wales caps this season.

Great, back to slow slow and slow ball all through the WC then.

As I doubt the management will see past Phillips as our 1st choice No9 despite whoever else is in the squad.

a bit of a non article from the Beeb but Clive Rowlands is not happy that Phillips is back in the squad so soon.

Bedford - I would hope that Phillips really has to fight for his place now. The game plan we want to implement needs quick ball, and we won't get that if Phillips keeps playing as he has.

This is rubbish, isn't it?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/13927665.stm

Lucky, there's already a thread on this, so I'm going to merge this, hope that's okay

I was out with my boy the other day in one of those kids play area things and bumped into dwayne peel and all i can say is that he has seriously bulked up since going to england and looked in cracking nick.

rugbydreamer wrote:a bit of a non article from the Beeb but Clive Rowlands is not happy that Phillips is back in the squad so soon.

Bedford - I would hope that Phillips really has to fight for his place now. The game plan we want to implement needs quick ball, and we won't get that if Phillips keeps playing as he has.

Rugby,

I would have hoped that from the off but I think we all quietly no he will be first choice in Gatlands eyes.

Bedfrod - aye I guess, keeping my fingers crossed at least that after this incident he won't be quite so no1 in Gats' eyes. Not all that hopeful but please, please someone let him see sense!

He was always going to be reintergrated before the first trip to Poland wasn't he?!

I can tell you, that Mike Phillips was actually back in the squad Last Wednesday (22nd June), so only missed two days of training.

' WRU chief executive Roger Lewis said: "It was very important for us to make it absolutely clear that Welsh rugby will not tolerate inappropriate behaviour.

"The message is now abundantly clear that we represent certain standards which will be maintained at all times both on and off the field of play." '

Roger Lewis is an donkey. The only thing that's 'abundantly clear' is that the players can behave how they like as long as they apologise afterwards.

luckless_pedestrian wrote:' WRU chief executive Roger Lewis said: "It was very important for us to make it absolutely clear that Welsh rugby will not tolerate inappropriate behaviour.

"The message is now abundantly clear that we represent certain standards which will be maintained at all times both on and off the field of play." '

Roger Lewis is an donkey. The only thing that's 'abundantly clear' is that the players can behave how they like as long as they apologise afterwards.

Considering an actual factual account of what happened in MacDonald's has not appeared, only some photos of a bouncer pinning Phillips to the floor, could there actually be another side to the story where Phillips was not in the wrong? Therefor when the WRU heard what happened and that it wasn't what was in the press they decided it was nothing.

There was no proof that Phillips was intoxicated on the night, from what I read. He may have just been hungry late at night after staying up late reading the new Rob Howley backplays to win the world cup notes, got into an argument with a member of staff at MacDonald's, something we can all empathise with surely, then been heavily treated by a bouncer, something we know happens regularly in Cardiff, Swansea and elsewhere. Bouncers arent sympathetic people.

MacDonald's must be the only Burger joint in the world where if you ask for a cheese burger with a coke they look at you like you just walked out of the dark ages because you don't want a meal, and how can it be cheaper to get fries as well..??? I don't get it but empathise with people like Mike Phillips who frequent MacD's in their holidays. I have been there a few times and it is confusing and frustrating.

Burger King is not so bad though... Maybe Mr Phillips could learn a lesson here...!

If he didn't do anything wrong, they shouldn't have suspended him from the squad in the first place. But it's so typically mealy-mouthed of Roger Lewis to say that the WRU are doing something that shows one thing when it shows something completely different.

In this day of age what with Twitter and other social media then news of what happened was never going to stay private.

Howevere maybe they should have used the innocent until guilty method.

As soon as he was suspended everyone (me included) thought the worst, if they had waited until a prper outcome then made whatever decision was neccessary might have been better.

I thought they suspended him just for the fact that he was out at 3am, when he's under a strict training regime? And the fact that as a public figure he was then seen being pinned to the floor by a bouncer creates a really bad example.

I think it was clear from the start that Phillips wasn't charged with anything. Just he's clearly broken the player code of conduct or whatever so that's why he was suspended. Can't see what the WRU have done wrong here, except to let him back into the squad too soon!

luckless_pedestrian wrote:If he didn't do anything wrong, they shouldn't have suspended him from the squad in the first place. But it's so typically mealy-mouthed of Roger Lewis to say that the WRU are doing something that shows one thing when it shows something completely different.

The WRU did only say that Phillips was suspended until they knew what the details of the ordeal were. It appears that they knew very quickly and this is all done and dusted.

With Regards to form, Phillips and Peel are our most experienced players, both have been unanimously considered world number one scrum half in their careers, and not long ago either. They deserve to be in the squad, they will fight it out, Gatland is a fair man, he is also wise enough to know experience counts.

I don't see what the WRU have done wrong here. Many employers suspend staff who are under investigation for some misdemeanour - particularly if there's a potential for criminal charges. Perhaps any investigation was complete and he's back at work as you'd expect for someone who doesn't have anything to answer to?

That's it, Dreamer. They WRU made a big play of showing no tolerance for breaking curfew, then Roger Lewis crows that letting him back into the squad just because he's apologised shows the same same thing. I repeat: he's a donkey.

There appears to be some attempt to defend Phillips here - does anybody here honestly think that this guy isn't a complete prat? I've watched this guy since he was an 18yr old at the scarlets and it has to be said his attitude stinks. He's a wanabe hard man and fails miserably. Even if we disregard that side of him he remains at best an average rugby player.

TBS,

I don't think its case of defending him though I do agree he gives off the impression of trying to be the big man (never met him so only go on what I have heard).

My point though is why did they announce his suspension without finding out full facts etc.

During the Lions tour I think he was very much more than 'average rugby player'.

I always enjoy watching Phillips slow the Welsh ball down

nottins_jones wrote:

Knoyle will likely become a very good scrum half if he stays at the Scarlets but has never deserved a Welsh cap and certainly doesn't deserve to be anywhere near the Wales team on current form.

could you enlighten us on what 'current' form you are referring to?

Whilst I am yet to be convinced by Knoyle (Evans would have got my vote) then on 'current form' Knoyle deserves his slot far more than any of the others named in the squad and definately more so than Phillips.

bedfordwelsh wrote:Whilst I am yet to be convinced by Knoyle (Evans would have got my vote) then on 'current form' Knoyle deserves his slot far more than any of the others named in the squad and definately more so than Phillips.

Agreed he was definitely without doubt the form scrum half of the year, the only time his form dropped was when he was away from the Scarlets and not playing any matches with Wales. When he returned he was back to his best straight away, I think he even scored a try within minutes of re-entering the fray as a sub on a friday night match.

A very natural scrum half and at only twenty one years old and first choice scrum half with three international caps. Hopefully he will keep improving as well. He is already a very smart game reader, wonderful awareness.

Turkster wrote:

nottins_jones wrote:

Knoyle will likely become a very good scrum half if he stays at the Scarlets but has never deserved a Welsh cap and certainly doesn't deserve to be anywhere near the Wales team on current form.

could you enlighten us on what 'current' form you are referring to?

Pretty much the current erratic form he's shown all season, in particular against the big sides where it counts the most. He did improve in his last two games if that pleases you... Did alright against the Baa-baa's too as did Phillips. Also, I don't believe Knoyle would have been capable of scoring the try that Phillips scored in that game.

nottins_jones wrote:

Pretty much the current erratic form he's shown all season, in particular against the big sides where it counts the most. He did improve in his last two games if that pleases you... Did alright against the Baa-baa's too as did Phillips. Also, I don't believe Knoyle would have been capable of scoring the try that Phillips scored in that game.

wow, where to start? so 'current' for you means the entire season? This same season where the post above yours descibes him as " definitely without doubt the form scrum half of the year"?
So, he didn't do well in the games against the big sides? the games where he was behind a very badly beaten pack, the games where the Scarlets were on the defensive for virtually the entire games? Who would have?
don't tell me...... you think Mike Phillips would have come out of those games smelling of roses and confirming himself as the 'form' scrumhalf in Wales.

Clearly the Welsh rugby needs to start getting serious with all the discipline problems were having at the moment.

It's just getting silly clearly if the WRU and the Regions had come down hard on this type of behaviour at the start rather than trying to cover it up all the time then maybe the players would of learned to control themselves but it just seems their untouchable and can do whatever they like.

Turkster wrote:

nottins_jones wrote:

Pretty much the current erratic form he's shown all season, in particular against the big sides where it counts the most. He did improve in his last two games if that pleases you... Did alright against the Baa-baa's too as did Phillips. Also, I don't believe Knoyle would have been capable of scoring the try that Phillips scored in that game.

wow, where to start? so 'current' for you means the entire season? This same season where the post above yours descibes him as " definitely without doubt the form scrum half of the year"?
So, he didn't do well in the games against the big sides? the games where he was behind a very badly beaten pack, the games where the Scarlets were on the defensive for virtually the entire games? Who would have?
don't tell me...... you think Mike Phillips would have come out of those games smelling of roses and confirming himself as the 'form' scrumhalf in Wales.

The other players, behind Knoyle that impressed me were Webb at the O's, Wayne Evans and Jon Evans at the Dragons and Lloyd Williams at Blues.

These players all need time to mature but they all look very good. It is good to have so many players vying for the position.

But out of all the options, including Peel and Phillips, Knoyle is the player that i see the most future in.