French top 14 side Bayonne interested in Welsh scrum half Mike Phillips – Rugby Union news
French Top 14 side Aviron Bayonnais has shown interest in acquiring the services of the Welsh international scrum half, Mike Phillips, to strengthen their squad ahead of the next Top 14 season.
Bayonne finished seventh on the Top 14 table at the end of the 2010/11 season. They were able to win 16 of the 26 games in the season and secured 71 points. Bayonne fan’ would consider themselves unlucky because they were just two points away from qualifying
for last season’s play-offs.
Bayonne contacted the international scrum half during the month of the April for a possible move. Ospreys head coach Scott Johnson confirmed the initial contact by the French club for their star scrum half. Johnson has also expressed his consent on letting
Mike go.
While both sides are yet to confirm the move, the developments, particularly on the Ospreys side from last month, signals that the move is very much on the cards. In May 2011, Ospreys signed the services of the Crusaders’ scrum half Kahn Fotuali’i as a possible
replacement for the Bayonne bound Philips.
Wales born Philips started his professional rugby career with Llanelli Scarlets in 2002. He remained with them until the end of the 2004/05 season but failed to become the regular member of the side. He made 51 appearances for the Scarlets and scored 56
points for them.
The 28-year-old Philips joined Cardiff Blues in 2005 in a bid to become the first choice scrum half. However, his hopes were thrashed after he sustained a serious knee ligament injury. Philips played for Blues during 2005/06 and 2006/07 season and made 45
appearances scoring 25 points. He joined Ospreys at the start of the 2007/08 season.
Philips has made 60 appearances for the Ospreys in the Magners League, Heinken Cup and Energy. He only played 14 games for the Ospreys in the recently concluded 2010/11 Magners League.
Philips made his international debut for the Wales in 2003 and has played 51 international matches. He has been named in the Welsh squad for their Saturday, June 4 encounter against the Barbarians at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff. However, his international
future is uncertain particularly because of the presence of other quality scrum halves in the side.
Besides Bayonne, Stade Francais has also expressed their willingness to sign the international centre. However, keeping in view their financial crisis it’s very unlikely that they could bid out Bayonne.
Bayonne have confirmed the signing of the All Blacks Joe Rokocoko, Sione Lauki and Neemia Tialata and are in the final phase of negotiating contracts with Wallabies lock Mark Chisholm and the French international winger Cedric Heymans.
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