LIONS SCRUMHALF MIKE PHILIPS takes his seat in the middle of a drawing room at Carton House and, with about 30 journalists sweeping around him in a wide perimeter, makes a joke about his breath not smelling that bad.
The Welshman, now two seasons in French Top 14 life with Bayonne, has just come from a mid-morning coffee with international teammate Jamie Roberts but, once the questioning starts, sounds as if he is just out of bed. Australia coach Robbie Deans has named a 25-man squad with the outstanding Will Genia named as the solitary scrum-half.
“To be honest with you,” Philips replies, “I haven’t see the squad yet. I was with my family at the weekend so I hadn’t looked at it.”
Former Australia coach believes Luke Burgess, currently with Toulouse, stands the best chance of playing back-up to Genia during the upcoming Test series. “Burgess plays in France and I think they’re bringing him back next year so they’ll possibly bring him in,” said Philips. “I rate him; think he’s a great player.” What is his take on Genia? Philips told TheScore.ie:
He’s world-class isn’t he? A tremendous player and he’s definitely been a catalyst for them, one of their best players for many years now.”
Once Philips, a Lion in 2009, sets foot on Hong Kong soil, he will be a two-tour veteran. He explains that the warm-up matches are vital for gaining form and learning calls but the collective ‘will only be judged on the last three [Test] games’. Four years on to the agonising 2-1 series loss to South Africa, Philips says the years have flown and, although older, he is ‘not sure about wiser’.
Asked if his moved from Ospreys in Wales to France has improved him as a player and person, Philips cites Wales’ Grand Slam last year and Six Nations championship in March as an affirmative in the first category. As for personal development, he has chilled out a bit. “I’ve become stronger as a person,” he added, “believed in myself a bit more, backed myself.”
Mike Philips at Carton House on Monday. (©INPHO/Dan Sheridan)
While Paul O’Connell (‘great craic’ says Philips) roomed with Lions captain Sam Warburton last week, there is more Ireland/Wales harmony this week in the Maynooth hotel. Philips said:
Conor Murray, yeah, I’m rooming with him this week so he might have a broken leg.”
Asked about the ‘Baby Mike Philips’ comparisons Murray was labelled with on his international breakthrough, the Welshman joked, “Yeah, that’s a compliment to him isn’t it.”
He added, “Since he has come on the scene I think he has done really well for Ireland. He’s a threat with the ball. He’s a big guy, takes the ball forward and I’ve got a lot of respect for him as a player. As I said, I’m rooming with him… so it’s great to get to know him and hopefully I’ll stamp on him, have a few scraps in the room.”
