Swansea can establish itself as a 'city of sporting excellence'
Speaking post-match on Saturday evening, Jones said:
"It's a huge consolation for us, in terms of how we will be remembered going out of Europe. We were bitterly disappointed about last week, but we managed to turn it around, front up, and put our own house in order. We provided a platform from which we could play, and score points.
"After the break we just managed to get some possession and momentum. The first half I thought we were a bit erratic, we looked scared. We were trying to make amends for last week and we probably tried a bit too hard. We were kicking it, rushing it, but we got a bit of composure at half time. We said that this was a game about building a performance, so we came out, built a platform, got parity at the setpiece and managed to get our backs on the front foot.
"When you've got characters like Jerry, Mike and Shane coming on we knew that momentum could see us through, if we got that catalyst early on.
"We've got a fantastic fanbase that supports us through thick and thin. We had a disappointment last week and we just wanted to come out and give them something to be proud of, something to encourage them to keep the faith."
Bowe, who was also named Irish and Welsh players' player and Magners League Rugby Writers' Player of the year at the end of last season, collected the award at a function at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin last night (Monday).
The 26-year-old has been in terrific form for his region and on the International stage and was highly praised by the organising committee.
"Tommy Bowe had an exceptional year winning nearly every award available to him both at home and abroad", said a committee spokesperson.
"A former Monaghan minor Gaelic footballer, Bowe became the first man from the Farney county to play for Ireland in 80 years when he lined out against the USA in November 2004.
"Since then Bowe has established himself as one of Ireland's most consistent performers and was duly rewarded with a call-up to the British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa in the summer of 2009. He has scored five tries in his last six Tests for Ireland.
Bowe has scored an impressive 18 tries in just 38 European appearances and it is this strike ratio that has earned him the accolade as one of rugby's most lethal wingers.
He became the first Irish international try scorer at the Aviva Stadium when he touched down against South Africa on Saturday and follows in the footstep of Brian O'Driscoll, Ronan O'Gara and Felipe Contepomi in winning the award.
Wales coach Warren Gatland has named seven Ospreys in his starting fifteen for Saturday's opening game of the autumn series against Australia on Saturday.
James Hook has been selected at fullback in place of the injured Lee Byrne, while Shane Williams, Andrew Bishop and Mike Phillips are also included in the backs. In the pack, Gatland has named Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones and Jonathan Thomas.
There are a further three Ospreys on the bench, Huw Bennett, Paul James and Dan Biggar taking the total to 10, with Tommy Bowe also named to start for Ireland in their game against South Africa.
There are just three players over the age of 30 in Wales' starting line-up, - all three in the back division. Williams (33), centre Tom Shanklin (31) and outside half Stephen Jones (33) represent the old guard in a backline which retains just one player - scrum-half Mike Phillips - from that which faced New Zealand last time out on Wales' summer tour.
Young Dragons flier Will Harries partners Osprey Williams on the wing while Bishop partners Shanklin in the centre.
Up front the British and Irish Lions front row of Gethin Jenkins, Matthew Rees and Adam Jones is reunited with Scarlets captain Rees assuming the leadership duties of his national side for the first time.
The second row pairing of Alun Wyn Jones and Bradley Davies is retained from the All Blacks match and another young Dragon Dan Lydiate (23) joins the youngest player in the starting line-up, Blues flanker Sam Warburton, in the back row.
Jonathan Thomas is the last of just six players - alongside front rowers Jones and Rees, locks Davies and Jones and scrum half Phillips - to be retained from that final match of the summer tour, but he undergoes a positional switch to start at No 8.
From the bench veteran Martyn Williams could win his 100th international cap - including Lions Tests - and he is joined in backing up the forwards by Ospreys pair Huw Bennett (hooker) and Paul James (prop) and Blues colleague, second row, Deiniol Jones.
Blues pair Chris Czekaj (wing) and Richie Rees (scrum-half) are joined by Ospreys fly-half Dan Biggar to cover the backs.
"The front five virtually picks itself, when they're all fit and playing well," said Gatland.
"There's two young boys in the second row there who have been going really well, Bradley in particular is in great shape and we will be looking to get the ball in his hands as much as possible, he is a real player for the future.
"There was debate in the back row and we decided we wanted to have another look at Sam who hasn't played for us since South Africa in the summer, when he did very well.
"We had options on the wing as well and we thought about Chris Czekaj at full back but in the end we've gone for experience there with James Hook and that then gives us a centre combination which retains experience too.
"At scrum-half Richie Rees has been putting pressure on Mike Phillips with some dynamic performances for the Blues so it's a big game for Mike, we are looking for him to be physical and really lead the way.
"We are still hurting as a squad from the way the Wallabies beat us last year. They were impressive as a forward pack and they repeatedly won turnover ball which gave them the game.
"It's tough times out there for everyone at the moment and those fans who have put their hands in their pockets to support Wales have made a real commitment to the cause already.
"We spoke this week about the responsibility we have to those fans now to perform."
Wales XV: James Hook; Will Harries, Tom Shanklin, Andrew Bishop, Shane Williams, Stephen Jones, Mike Phillips; Gethin Jenkins, Matthew Rees (c), Adam Jones, Bradley Davies, Alun Wyn Jones, Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton, Jonathan Thomas
Replacements: Huw Bennett, Paul James, Deiniol Jones, Martyn Williams, Richie Rees, Dan Biggar, Chris Czekaj
WALES
15 James HOOK (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,047)
DoB: 27.06.85. 6'0" / 1.83m. 14st 10lbs / 93kgs
International record: 43 caps (W 18, L 24, D 1; 232 pts - 10T, 34C, 35PG, 3DG)
14 Will HARRIES (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS - Cap No 1,077)
DoB: 30.03.87. 5'8" / 1.73m. 13st 1lb / 83kgs
International record: 1 cap (L 1)
13 Tom SHANKLIN (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 993)
DoB: 24.11.79. 6'2" / 1.88m. 15st 9lbs / 99kgs
International record: 66 caps (W 32, L 33, D 1; 100 pts - 20T)
12 Andrew BISHOP (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,059)
DoB: 07.08.85. 6'0" / 1.83m. 14st 12lbs / 94kgs
International record: 11 caps (W 7, L 4)
11 Shane WILLIAMS (OSPREYS - Cap No 976)
DoB: 26.02.77. 5'7" / 1.71m. 12st 11lbs / 81kgs
International record: 73 caps (W 35, L 36, D 2; 255 pts - 51T)
10 Stephen JONES (SCARLETS - Cap No 966)
DoB: 08.12.77. 6'1" / 1.86m. 15st 0lbs / 95kgs
International record: 91 caps (W 39, L50, D2; 815 pts - 7T, 132C, 166PG, 6DG)
9 Michael PHILLIPS (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,022)
DoB: 29.08.82. 6'3" / 1.91m. 16st 4lbs / 103kgs
International record: 42 caps (W 21, L 20, D 1; 20 pts - 4T)
1 Gethin JENKINS (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 1,006)
DoB: 17.11.80. 6'2" / 1.88m. 19st 4lbs / 122kgs
International record: 74 caps (W 33, L 39, D 2; 15 pts - 3T)
2 Matthew REES (SCARLETS, CAPTAIN - Cap No 1,033)
DoB: 09.12.80. 6'0" / 1.83m. 17st 3lbs / 109kgs
International record: 39 caps (W 17, L 21, D 1; 10 pts - 2T)
3 Adam Rhys JONES (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,018)
DoB: 08.03.81. 6'0" / 1.83m. 19st 10lb / 125kgs
International record: 64 caps (W 31, L 31, D 2; 10 pts - 2T)
4 Bradley DAVIES (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 1,065)
DoB: 09.01.87. 6'6" / 1.98m. 18st 11lbs / 119kgs
International record: 13 caps (W 6, L 7)
5 Alun Wyn JONES (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,046)
DoB: 19.09.85. 6'5" / 1.96m. 18st 8lbs / 118kgs
International record: 40 caps (W 16, L 24; 25 pts - 5T)
6 Dan LYDIATE (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS - Cap No 1,071)
DoB: 18.12.87. 1.93m / 6'4". 17st 3lbs / 109kgs
International record: 2 caps (W 1, L 1)
7 Sam WARBURTON (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 1,070)
DoB: 05.10.88. 1.88m / 6'2". 15st 11lbs / 100kgs
International record: 7 caps (W 4, L 3)
8 Jonathan THOMAS (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,013)
DoB: 27.12.82. 6'5" / 1.96m. 17st 13lbs / 114kgs
International record: 58 caps (W 27, L 29, D 2; 35 pts - 7T)
REPLACEMENTS
16 Huw BENNETT (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,017)
DoB: 11.06.83. 6'0" / 1.83m. 16st 10lbs / 106kgs
International record: 34 caps (W 18, L 16)
17 Paul JAMES (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,021)
DoB: 13.05.82. 6'1" / 1.86m. 18st 4lbs / 116kgs
International record: 13 caps (W 5, L 8)
18 Deiniol JONES (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 981)
DoB: 18.11.77. 6'5" 1.96m. 17st 3lbs / 109kgs
International record: 10 caps (W 6, L 4)
19 Martyn WILLIAMS (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 944)
DoB: 01.09.75. 6'0" / 1.83m. 15st 2lbs / 96kgs
International record: 95 caps (W 42, L 50, D 3; 73 pts - 14T, 1DG)
20 Richard REES (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 1,072)
DoB: 21.05.83. 5'11" / 1.80m. 12st 7lb / 79kgs
International record: 5 caps (W 1, L 4)
21 Dan BIGGAR (OSPREYS - Cap No 1,063)
DoB: 16.10.89. 6'2" / 1.88m. 14st 3lbs / 90kgs
International record: 6 caps (W 4, L 2; 44 pts - 7C, 10PG)
22 Chris CZEKAJ (CARDIFF BLUES - Cap No 1,038)
DoB: 14.12.85. 6'3" / 1.91m. 16st 8lbs / 105kgs
International record: 7 caps (W 2, L 5; 10 pts - 2T)
02/11/2010 - 18:28:26
Wales star James Hook will leave the Ospreys at the end of this season.
Hook has given the Ospreys formal notice that he will not be accepting the offer of a new contract with them.
After months of negotiations, the Ospreys had set British and Irish Lions centre Hook a deadline of today to inform them of his future plans.
Hook says he will make a decision on where his future lies in February, but French club Perpignan – whose past players include New Zealand fly-half Dan Carter – are red-hot favourites to sign him.
Saracens have confirmed the signing of Wales star Gavin Henson.
Henson will link up with the Aviva Premiership club after the Ospreys last night "reluctantly agreed" to release him from the remaining seven months of his contract at the Swansea-based region.
The 28-year-old has not played rugby since going on unpaid leave from the Ospreys 18 months ago following the latest in a series of injury setbacks.
Saracens have not yet revealed the length of Henson's contract with them, or when he might make his debut.
He trained with his new club for the first time earlier this week.
Henson is currently appearing on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing series, a commitment that could last until Christmas.
Saracens say they recognise Henson's ongoing commitment to the programme, adding: "The player's path back to full match fitness will dovetail with his participation in the show."
Henson, who won the last of his 31 Wales caps during the 2009 Six Nations Championship, said he was "genuinely delighted" to be joining Saracens.
"They have created a special vibe at the club, and to be honest, just being around them has rekindled my enthusiasm for the sport." he said.
"They are bold and innovative, and they're positive and ambitious.
"I know I still have so much to give to rugby, and I can't wait to get back on the field, playing for Saracens and hopefully for Wales.
"Now it's time to start working hard, getting back to match fitness as soon as possible and then to let my rugby do all the talking."
Henson could find himself primarily being used as a fly-half at Vicarage Road.
Saracens have moved quickly to recruit him after their South African number 10 Derick Hougaard suffered a season-ending Achilles injury during the Heineken Cup defeat against Leinster at Wembley earlier this month.
Saracens rugby director Brendan Venter added: "Gavin is a special talent.
"We are delighted he has chosen to launch the next phase of his career with us.
"We believe he will enjoy our environment, on and off the field, and that will be great news for our supporters and for Welsh rugby."
In an official statement, Saracens thanked the Ospreys and the Welsh region's managing director Mike Cuddy "for the constructive approach in agreeing to release Henson from his contract in the wider interests of the player and of the game".
WALES captain Ryan Jones makes his first Ospreys start of the season against London Irish in the unfamiliar position of second-row.
Jones replaces Ian Gough in the Ospreys starting line-up, with Jonathan Thomas remaining in the number eight position.
The 29-year-old has prevously played at lock for the Celtic Warriors.
The region, looking to bounce back from the opening Heineken Cup defeat against Toulon, name an unchanged backline for the must-win clash tomorrow night.
Ospreys director of coaching Scott Johnson said: “The reasons behind the selection are twofold.
“JT has started the year at eight as Ryan was unavailable for a period of time. He was asked to fill the void because of Ryan’s injury and in fairness to him he has done exceptionally well.
“Saying that, we’ve certainly missed Ryan’s contributions so we wanted him in the team. We feel that balancing that one change, rather than the two it would be if they swapped positions, is better for the team given the short turnaround and preparation time for the week.
“We needed Ryan’s effectiveness and his work-rate, the team needed that, but it’s too complicated to start moving everyone around. We are very happy with JT, and Ryan was happy to do that for the team.
“To put Ryan at eight and move JT to lock, it changes everything, calls, line-outs, and we didn’t want to go down that path for a five-day turnaround. We think that Ryan has had enough game time now to warrant his place at the start. If we had two weeks then maybe we would do it differently, but we haven’t, so for the sake of not having to change everything, we’ve gone with it this way.”
The duo were advised of the decision simultaneously, along with the reasoning behind it, and Johnson says the response was exactly as he anticipated it would be:
“Ryan is a great team man, he has no issue at all with doing this for the team, which is exactly the kind of response we expected from him. They were both told the situation at the same time, we explained the logic to them and there were no issues.
“I promised JT at the start of the season that once a bloke gets the shirt, it’s up to the others to get it off him, and we are supporting his form as a coaching team. At the same time, we are acknowledging the work that Ryan has done, and the work that we’ve missed.
“Ryan has played there before, and I genuinely believe that after the World Cup we’ll probably see a bit more of him there. He’s such a brave and industrious player, the way the game is going he will give us a competitive edge, and we wanted as many good athletes out on the pitch as we can.”
Forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys said: “Obviously, we were disappointed to lose out in Toulon, particularly having managed to work ourselves into a good position with just a few minutes left. That’s the Heineken Cup for you though isn’t, the quality of the opposition, particularly in this pool, means that you can’t give them an inch or you will pay the price.
“We haven’t dwelt on it, with a short turnaround to a Friday night game there isn’t time to. We know that we face another particularly tough challenge in the shape of London Irish, a quality side who have had a great start to the season, top of their domestic league and securing the win against Munster on Saturday night.
“This is a pool that will go down to the wire, make no mistake about it. We were sat in the airport last week following the scores and even though London Irish were pulling away we all felt Munster would get a bonus point, which is how it turned out. It’s very evenly poised at the moment, the two homes teams have won without picking up a bonus, the two away teams have got bonus points. It’s no different than anyone anticipated and it’s exciting to be involved in it."
Ospreys team to face London Irish:
15 Lee Byrne, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Andrew Bishop, 12 James Hook, 11 Shane Williams, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Mike Phillips, 1 Paul James, 2 Richard Hibbard, 3 Adam Jones, 4 Ryan Jones, 5 Alun Wyn Jones (Capt), 6 Jerry Collins, 7 Marty Holah, 8 Jonathan Thomas
Replacements
16 Huw Bennett, 17 Ryan Bevington, 18 Craig Mitchell, 19 Ian Gough, 20 Justin Tipuric, 21 Jamie Nutbrown, 22 Gareth Owen, 23 Nikki Walker
The Irish flyer has racked up 49 caps since his debut against Connacht in September 2008 following his move from Ulster that summer, and his 50th will come against Toulon on Saturday afternoon.
In that short period he has already scored 26 tries, putting him fourth in the region's all time try scoring list behind Shane Williams, Nikki Walker and Lee Byrne, and after initially joining on a two year contract, he agreed to extend his stay in Ospreylia last season, signing a new contract that runs until summer 2013.
Speaking about reaching the 50-cap mark in such a short period of time, Bowe said:
"I'm only at the start of my third season as an Osprey so it's great to have notched up so many caps already, especially with the 50th coming in such a big game for the team. It's always great to reach any landmark, and it'll make Saturday all the more memorable for me personally.
"I've managed to stay relatively trouble free and away from any serious injury since I came here, and hopefully that will keep going so that I can continue clocking up the games. It's great that the Ospreys look at these milestones and make sure that they get flagged up as its important to team spirit that achievements like this get recognised. So many players in the squad can sometimes get overlooked, doing this makes sure that everyone gets due recognition for their service.
"I came here in 2008 to improve myself as a player, and to be part of an ambitious organisation that wants to compete at the highest level and I couldn't be happier to be honest. I signed a new deal last season as I believe that we are definitely heading in the right direction, and hopefully we can continue that progress this season."
Ospreys Head Coach, Sean Holley, said that Bowe has quickly established himself within the Ospreys family:
"His 50 has come around really quickly, which just goes to show the huge impact he's made here in a very short period of time since joining us. He's played a lot of games and has become an integral member of our squad.
"He's settled very quickly into our environment, feels very comfortable here as part of what we are trying to build, and we've been able to help him improve his all-round game since he's been here.
"Not only has he become a true Osprey on the field, but he is also showing those values off the field as well and having recently extended his contract to ensure he stays here until 2013, I look forward to marking his 100th cap in the not too distant future."
With Toulon providing the opposition for his 50th cap, Bowe says that he is expecting not only the French side, but also the other sides in Pool Three, to provide a stern test of the Ospreys' European credentials:
"Toulon away is going to be very difficult" he insisted.
"They've got a first rate squad with some very senior players at 8,9,10, some world class players. It's on their patch and they are a very proud French team that won't want to give anything away at home, but we are very ambitious and believe in our own ability, so we will go over there looking to bring something back with us.
"It's a very, very difficult group we find ourselves in. As well as Toulon who have spent huge amounts of money to build a squad that will be the envy of any club in Europe, we've got Munster who've not failed to make the quarter finals in something like 10 years I think and London Irish who have started the season well and are top of the Premiership. We want to qualify for a fourth consecutive quarter-final but we are well aware of the size of the challenge ahead of us."
The Brian Viner Interview: The Wales scrum-half (aka 'Mr Duffy') has the celebrity partner and lifestyle. But don't label him as another Gavin Henson
Friday, 8 October 2010
DAVID ASHDOWN
Mike Phillips believes being a farmer's son has served him well in rugby. 'It gives you a great start,' he says
Mike Phillips turned down the chance to go to the Ryder Cup and is kicking himself, or at least gently berating himself; a kick from Mike Phillips would hurt too much. But seriously, it was just up the M4 in Newport, and of course he and his Ospreys team-mates were glued to the television coverage of Monday's extraordinary denouement.
No doubt they also enjoyed the closing ceremony, which was introduced by Gareth Edwards, a Welsh scrum-half whose fame transcends rugby and Wales. The current occupant of the hallowed No 9 jersey – almost as hallowed as the Welsh No 10 jersey – is not quite there yet, but Edwards would be the first to admit that the boy is better-looking than he was. Moreover, Phillips has a celebrity girlfriend, the singer Duffy, and, even more significantly, enough talent, in the view of many observers, to become the finest scrum-half in the modern game. He's a marketing man's dream.
We meet on the terrace of a swanky hotel overlooking Cardiff Bay, just along from where he and Duffy live. Indeed, he has a speedboat, which he sometimes takes for a spin around the bay, although he hasn't "got the guts" to stick it in the pay-and-display boat park lest anyone mistake him for a proper nautical type.
By contrast with his on-field persona, and his off-field reputation too, because Phillips is not known as a quiet half-a-shandy merchant, the man across the table from me is softly spoken and seems almost humble. When I ask him to identify his favourite part of the game, he says: "There's no better feeling than making a break. But I also love putting a big tackle in. I put in a good hit on the hooker for New Zealand in the summer, Mooli or whatever his name was."
That would be Mealamu, and the hit was as if the 16-and-a-half stone forward had suddenly collided with a parked truck. A dazzling smile, the smile that won Duffy's heart. "Yeah, I enjoy tackling forwards. I suppose it's a bit of cockiness, saying to them 'you've just been smashed by a No 9'. But I've calmed down a lot. When I was younger I was quite excitable, but I don't tend to say too much now. I'd get too excited, then after the game think 'what an idiot I am'. It happened with the Lions a few times."
Phillips played in all three Tests for the Lions against the Springboks last year, and was one of the stars of the tour, even slotting in seamlessly at centre when Riki Flutey was injured. Ospreys fans were not surprised. They also know that they will need an injury-free Phillips, not a luxury they enjoyed last season, if Ospreys are to get through a formidably tough group and reach the Heineken Cup final, which happens to be at the Millennium Stadium, next May. The campaign starts tomorrow in Toulon.
"Last year we had such a good start at Leicester," Phillips recalls, "but we ended up drawing. Hopefully, this time we can start with victory. I've never played Toulon before. Obviously we're similar teams. They're known for buying all the star players, and some people think that of Ospreys as well." Toulon's star player nombre un, of course, is one Jonny Wilkinson. "Yeah, and he's playing really well for them. He can control any game."
One game Wilkinson signally failed to control, however, was that 2008 encounter at Twickenham, the first time for two decades that Wales had beaten the old enemy at HQ, and also Warren Gatland's first match as coach. For Phillips, the tough little Kiwi was a godsend. "He gave me the opportunity to start, and he believed in me. When I came into the Welsh squad I wasn't given any confidence. Some coaches wouldn't even bother saying my name in team meetings. But Gats told me after that game that I could become one of the best scrum-halves in the world. And Shaun, Shaun just loves the fact that I'm physical. To make Shaun happy you just have to make big hits."
His physicality, he thinks, stems from his childhood on a dairy farm near Carmarthen. He was the youngest of three brothers, and the middle brother Mark, seven years his senior, became Welsh amateur light-heavyweight boxing champion, so it's hardly surprising that he learnt early on how to stick up for himself. "My brothers were constantly winding me up," he says, chuckling. "But I was also taught by my father never to give up. And I learnt a lot just from his attitude to life, that hard-working ethos. I learnt to do the grafting as well as the fancy stuff, and that's what fans like to see."
It is surely no coincidence that a disproportionate number of rugby players, particularly if you consider the southern hemisphere nations, come from farming backgrounds. "That's probably true. It gives you a great start, working the muscles without you even realising it, getting up early in the morning, mucking in." A pause. "I hated it all, really," he adds, with perfect comic timing, and explodes with laughter. "At 13 or 14 I just wanted to be cool, and I didn't think farming was cool. But I don't want to come across like a proper farmer. I'm pleased now that I grew up with those values, but my brothers would say that I spent more time in the house than helping out. I wasn't passionate about it, which you need to be. You can't be half-hearted about farming. Like rugby, really."
Rugby has loomed large in his life for as long as he can remember. "I love my cricket too. I played a lot as a kid. I loved it at 14 or 15, playing village cricket with the men. You have a beer with them and you think that's great. But rugby was the main thing. My older brother played, so I used to go and watch him. And international days were a big deal, putting the Wales kit on to watch it on TV."
He joined his brother's club, Whitland RFC, and played as a scrum-half, driven to succeed by all the people who said, week after week, that he was too tall to play at No 9. Before his time, Terry Holmes had blazed a trail for big Welsh scrum-halves, but for Phillips, the main inspiration was the tall South African, Joost van der Westhuizen. "He was a big hero of mine. I remember watching him in the 1995 World Cup, tackling Jonah Lomu. He was everything I wanted to be."
Does it irk him, having become no less than Van der Westhuizen the embodiment of the new breed of No 9, that it is No 10s who are most idolised in Wales, the fly-half factory and all that? "No, because the greatest player of all time was a scrum-half – Gareth Edwards. There have been some tremendous scrum-halves in Wales, and there's good competition right now. It's a great position. Maybe 10 or 15 years ago there was only one role, to pass the ball out, but now you have to be able to multitask. You can influence the game as much as a 10 sometimes."
A good example is Justin Marshall, an All-Black for a decade, and the first-choice scrum-half at Ospreys when Phillips moved there in 2007, having earlier gone from Whitland to Llanelli and then to Cardiff Blues. Did Marshall take him under his wing? Hardly.
"It's a funny one, really. It's fair to say that he wouldn't pass too many words of wisdom my way, but then I learnt from him that he hadn't got 80-odd caps for New Zealand by giving young bucks a helping hand."
He can laugh about it now, now that he's master of his domain. But let's finally explore another area of that domain. I have been asked by his agent to sidestep "Gavin and Charlotte" but my sidestep never was any good. Does the example of Charlotte Church and his (erstwhile?) Wales and Ospreys team-mate Gavin Henson, a marriage of rugby and showbiz that soured, represent a salutary lesson to him?
"Ermmmm," he says, suddenly inarticulate. "Yeah, maybe. You've got to be careful how you put yourself out there. You can put yourself as much as you want in the public eye but the main thing for me is rugby."
In other words, albeit my other words, he's not about to sign up for Strictly Come Dancing, like Henson did? "No, that's not my ticket. My goals are all on the rugby field." Nevertheless, good looks, abundant talent and a famous girlfriend surely add up to huge commercial opportunities. "I dunno. Maybe. It's a bit strange, really. You can't help who you fall in love with. But I've never been as happy as this, ever. I feel very lucky to have the dream job, and the dream girl as well."
What was his response to the Welsh Rugby Union's facile decision to use the self-exiled Henson to promote the new kit? "I just sort of laughed. That's the first thing I did. I didn't think any more about it than that. That's Gav, isn't it? It didn't bother me. That's just him. I like Gav. I wouldn't say a bad word about the boy. He's an immense rugby talent, he's made his choices, and hopefully one day he'll come back."
And that's that, almost. We shake hands, then talk about his speedboat, then shake hands again. And then, just before we part, he suddenly looks anxious. "Are you going to mention much about the Gav thing?" he asks. He's not the only rugby man in Wales to want "the Gav thing" to go away.
Ospreys lock Ian Evans' leg injury will be examined by the regional and Welsh Rugby Union medics on Monday.
Evans, 25, received lengthy treatment on the field in their 22-10 loss in Munster and played on until replaced by Ian Gough in the 33rd minute.
It was the latest in a series injuries to strike the lock who won the first of 16 caps in 2006 in Argentina.
Evans returned from a chest injury in January, having previously recovered from cruciate knee ligament damage.
He suffered that latter injury in Wales' autumn 2008 defeat by New Zealand and suffered the chest injury - tearing a major tendon in his chest - playing for Swansea against Pontypridd in October, 2009.
