Welsh international Mike Phillips signs two-year deal with French Top 14 side Bayonne – Rugby news
Bayonne based French Top 14 outfit, Aviron Bayonnais, has confirmed the signing of former Ospreys and Welsh international scrum half, Mike Phillips. The player has signed a two-year deal with the French club and is expected to join the squad at the end of
the Wales rugby union’s team campaign in the upcoming 2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC).
Officials have confirmed the signing of the Philips in a statement released at the club’s website on Monday, June 13. The statement read, “The international scrum half for Wales (Mike Philips) has confirmed its commitment for the next two seasons in the
Bayonne Rugby Pro.”
Mike Phillips’ signing was very much on the cards with Bayonne following the initial contacts between the clubs and Phillips in the month of April. Before the player had signed with the Top 14 side, Ospreys head coach Scott Johnson had expressed his consent
to releasing the international scrum half prior to the maturation of his contract.
In the first week of June, the Super League team Crusaders claimed that Mike Phillips was considering a code switch and will join the Crusaders for next season. The switch did not happen but the deal signed by Phillips allows him to extend his stay at the
French club by one year if agreed upon mutually.
The 28-year-old Philips made his international debut for the Wales national rugby union team against Romania in August 2003. He so far has played 52 international games for Wales and scored 35 points, all coming from tries.
Phillips was part of the team that played against the Barbarians at the Millennium Stadium Cardiff on June 4, 2011. He is also been named in the Wales 45-man provisional squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Wales born scrum half Philips made his professional rugby debut for the Llanelli Scarlets in 2002. He left the club at the end of the 2004 - 05 season after playing 51 games and scoring 56 points for the club.
Philips later joined Cardiff Blues in 2005. He made 45 appearances for Blues and scored 25 points. After playing two seasons with the Blues, Phillips joined Ospreys at the start of the 2007/08 season.
Phillips was unable to become the first choice scrum half for the club and played most of his matches coming on as substitute. He made 60 appearances for the Ospreys in the Heineken Cup, Magners League and Energy Cup including the 14 games he played for
the Ospreys in the recently concluded 2010/11 Magners League.
In addition to Phillips, Bayonne has also signed the likes of All Blacks trio of Joe Rokocoko, Sione Lauaki, Neemia Tialata, French international winger Cédric Heymans, Australian lock Mark Chisholm to strengthen their squad for the 2011/12 season of French
Top 14.
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