Updated 16.56
A REPORT FROM France claims that Mike Phillips will be sacked by Top 14 club Bayonne, with his contract set to be terminated on Saturday morning.
Rugbyrama.fr, the online version of the Midi Olympique rugby newspaper, say that Phillips will be receiving notice from the club in the coming days, following a disciplinary meeting yesterday evening.
The latest misdemeanor in Phillip’s checkered record involved turning up to a squad video analysis session drunk last Friday, the morning after an Amlin Challenge Cup game against Grenoble in which the Welshman played 17 minutes.
Two other Bayonne players have been reprimanded for the same offence, but Dwayne Haare and Stephen Brett have been dealt heavy fines rather then being released from their contracts. Phillips has been treated differently due to his poor disciplinary record, having previously been banned by Bayonne in 2012 for a streak of late-night incidents.
However, WalesOnline says, “A Bayonne spokesman told WalesOnline Phillips has been suspended, with a final decision on his future to be made tomorrow or Saturday.”
In response to that statement, Midi Olympique‘s Twitter account confirmed that they are maintaining their assertion that Phillips will be sacked by the club.
If the 31-year-old is to be a free agent soon, as the report on Rugbyrama suggest, it will be fascinating to see where he turns up. The Welsh regional sides will surely have some interest in his playing ability, but the off-the-field antics will be discouraging for some clubs.
- Originally published 15.54
