:00:07. > :00:11.I'm Mike Phillips. Since 2003, I've won 94 caps
:00:12. > :00:14.for Wales, and five for the Lions. Recently I announced I was bringing
:00:15. > :00:17.that career to a close, after announcing my retirement
:00:18. > :00:20.from international rugby. The last year has been
:00:21. > :00:25.a real roller-coaster ride for me, and I have allowed the cameras
:00:26. > :00:33.in on my life. Mike Phillips, maverick rugby star.
:00:34. > :00:37.The winner. The hell-raiser.
:00:38. > :00:42.The fund-raiser. The pin-up boy of Welsh rugby.
:00:43. > :00:46.With the celebrity ex-girlfriend and late-night brawls,
:00:47. > :00:52.he has never been far away from the back page or front-page headlines.
:00:53. > :00:56.Make mistakes and be different. Cause a few tidal waves
:00:57. > :01:05.and make some shocks, why not? That is what it is all about.
:01:06. > :01:07.At the beginning of 2015, at the age of 32,
:01:08. > :01:10.and after 90 appearances for Wales and five tests for the British and
:01:11. > :01:13.Irish Lions, Mike Phillips's place in the Welsh side was in doubt.
:01:14. > :01:16.What would World Cup year bring? Would the sun set on
:01:17. > :01:19.his international future, before he reached the milestone of 100 caps?
:01:20. > :01:30.Or would there be a new dawn in the twilight of his career?
:01:31. > :01:34.On the field he is ultra competitive.
:01:35. > :01:36.Nothing stands in his way. Whatever is in his way is
:01:37. > :01:41.in his way. He will do whatever he can
:01:42. > :01:45.to get it out of the way. If they got into his face
:01:46. > :01:56.and wound him up, could get a reaction from him, and fair play
:01:57. > :01:58.to Mike he delivered a reaction. Big players, big moments, big games.
:01:59. > :02:00.Philips is consistent in that regard.
:02:01. > :02:02.One of the all-time great scrum-halves, not only in Welsh
:02:03. > :02:05.rugby, but rugby itself. He has been one of the pivotal
:02:06. > :02:07.players of the Gatland era. He has brought a fire to
:02:08. > :02:10.the position of scrum-half. He has brought so much colour
:02:11. > :02:12.off the field as well. Some people are good looking,
:02:13. > :02:14.some are good rugby players, and unfortunately
:02:15. > :02:21.and frustratingly he has got both. He is very respectful, yet
:02:22. > :02:26.the perception would be he isn't. You have to be careful
:02:27. > :02:30.of perception, sometimes it isn't reality.
:02:31. > :02:33.I think he is full of complexity, full of contradictions, and I think
:02:34. > :02:37.he is full of mischief, and yet he is a very serious player in what has
:02:38. > :02:38.been a wonderful age of Welsh rugby. In a great age,
:02:39. > :03:05.he cut a great character. 2015 was Rugby World Cup year,
:03:06. > :03:07.and the Six Nations Championship would therefore take
:03:08. > :03:12.on extra significance in the battle for places in the Welsh squad.
:03:13. > :03:15.It was a busy start to the year for Mike, with a lot of travelling
:03:16. > :03:20.between playing for his club, Racing Metro in Paris, and training with
:03:21. > :03:25.Wales on the outskirts of Cardiff. Since 2008, he has been a regular
:03:26. > :03:28.starter at scrum-half for Wales. At the start of 2015,
:03:29. > :03:33.he had 95 international appearances to his name.
:03:34. > :03:36.To reach 100 international matches is a remarkable achievement
:03:37. > :03:41.for any player, and Mike would dearly love to reach that goal
:03:42. > :03:46.before the end of his career. But he would face
:03:47. > :03:50.a battle to fulfil his dream. Rhys Webb had taken his place
:03:51. > :03:52.as Wales' number one scrum-half, and it would be Webb who would
:03:53. > :03:55.start the first match of the year against England, with Mike
:03:56. > :03:58.named on the replacement's bench. He may be the most capped Welsh
:03:59. > :04:04.scrum-half of all time, but Mike now needed to prove himself once again.
:04:05. > :04:08.I suppose I have had this ambition to show and to prove to people that
:04:09. > :04:11.I deserve to be where I am, and deserve to be, you know, in the
:04:12. > :04:14.shirt, and, yes, you have that fear, I guess, always had that fear of
:04:15. > :04:18.failure, and you always drive yourself on to prove to people,
:04:19. > :04:25.I guess, and that you, you know you are the man for the job, and you
:04:26. > :04:28.deserve to be where you are. With Wales and England due to face
:04:29. > :04:31.each other later in the year in the Rugby World Cup,
:04:32. > :04:35.there would be some added spice to the first Six Nations game of 2015.
:04:36. > :04:38.It was always Mike's dream to play for Wales, and whenever he wears
:04:39. > :04:53.that special red shirt, the prematch nerves and thoughts remain the same.
:04:54. > :04:56.Drive through the streets and you see the people, with the
:04:57. > :05:00.beers, and you think, I wouldn't mind being one of them guys out
:05:01. > :05:03.there. You have a lot of pressure on your shoulders, you know, you are
:05:04. > :05:07.going out there to try and, you know, play to the best of your
:05:08. > :05:08.going out there to try and, you know, play to the best of your
:05:09. > :05:11.ability. It is a dark Friday night
:05:12. > :05:18.in February, and the old enemies are ready for the battle.
:05:19. > :05:20.Could you wish for anything more as a competitor?
:05:21. > :05:26.If you stop and think about what you are doing, sometimes
:05:27. > :05:28.you can sort of, it can hit home. That is not a good thing.
:05:29. > :05:31.All the pressure, everyone is watching you,
:05:32. > :05:34.everyone wants you to win. You have to be so focussed
:05:35. > :05:36.and deliver that to the best of your ability.
:05:37. > :05:47.And it is intense. You have got to be on your A game.
:05:48. > :05:50.Faletau comes away. Haskell.
:05:51. > :05:55.Rhys Webb. Oh, what a start for Wales.
:05:56. > :05:57.Things start well for Wales and for Rhys Webb, but then...
:05:58. > :06:01.Watson follows through. It must be a try for England.
:06:02. > :06:10.Good feet by Joseph, excellent hands and feet.
:06:11. > :06:16.And score by Jonathan Joseph. Oh my, swing low in Cardiff.
:06:17. > :06:19.After 68 minutes Mike replaces Webb. It is cap number 96, but Wales
:06:20. > :06:28.are losing by 16 points to 18. There is tension,
:06:29. > :06:30.and the white hot fear of failure. Wales 16, England 21.
:06:31. > :06:33.The game is over, and it is a famous victory for
:06:34. > :06:50.England at the Millennium Stadium, in World Cup year.
:06:51. > :06:59.William Michael Phillips was born on the 29th August 1982. He was the
:07:00. > :07:06.youngest of three sons for Trevor Phillips, a farmer, and his school
:07:07. > :07:09.teacher wife Morfydd. The two older boys were protective of Michael,
:07:10. > :07:12.because he was seven years younger than them. I think as they have
:07:13. > :07:19.grown up, they have always been a bit protective of him and keeping an
:07:20. > :07:27.eye on him then. Kicked a lot of the ball about 6789 broke a lot of
:07:28. > :07:31.windows. Did they get on? They always got on, yes. They always
:07:32. > :07:35.liked their sport but they were willing to help on the farm. Kids
:07:36. > :07:42.were always fighting. Michael was younger so he always had a bit of a
:07:43. > :07:48.tough time, I suppose with us two, seeing Rob played for Whitland and
:07:49. > :07:53.he was very fiscal. I was boxing, so so that was physical, so I suppose
:07:54. > :07:58.he was brought up to be tough. They would try and wind me up and all
:07:59. > :08:02.this, and it was never obviously strong enough to handle myself then,
:08:03. > :08:06.but I think having two older brothers and that up bringing helped
:08:07. > :08:13.me a lot for the rugby shield for sure.
:08:14. > :08:18.One day I found a piece of paper, that he had written things that he
:08:19. > :08:27.wanted to do, and I was quite taken back, you know. I will play for
:08:28. > :08:34.Wales more than 50 times. I will be a great player. I remember seeing
:08:35. > :08:40.him playing for Whitland Youth at scrum-half. And scoring a try, just
:08:41. > :08:47.before scoring the try, he turned to run backwards, at the chap that was
:08:48. > :08:51.chasing him. Flipped back over and scored, and the referee penalised
:08:52. > :08:54.him for ungentlemanly behave yes yes the rugby field. That was probably
:08:55. > :08:59.fair enough. Xxxx behaviour.
:09:00. > :09:04.Mike was beginning to make a name for himself in West Wales rugby
:09:05. > :09:08.circles and it wasn't long until his beloved Scarlets came calling The
:09:09. > :09:13.first impression was his stature, remarkable saw the churks really. To
:09:14. > :09:18.think he was playing scrum-half, made you ask the question, but when
:09:19. > :09:23.you seen him playing he was a natural scrum-half, in all senses of
:09:24. > :09:31.the word. It was pretty obvious that this boy had a top class rugby
:09:32. > :09:38.feature in front of him. Wearing number 20, Mike Phillips. His debut
:09:39. > :09:41.for the Scarlets came in 2002, against carefully and he maded an
:09:42. > :09:46.instant impression, although because of his height some questioned his
:09:47. > :09:52.suitability for the position of scrum-half. His character was
:09:53. > :09:58.ideally placed for me as a scrum-half, because he was, he was
:09:59. > :10:03.different in many ways, he had physicality intensity, Mike never
:10:04. > :10:08.played a game he didn't believe we were going to win. I mean from the
:10:09. > :10:13.beginning he wasn't the usual mould of a scrum-half, and you know, his
:10:14. > :10:18.critics said he was too big, too slow, taking steps, so it made him
:10:19. > :10:23.more determined then, to achieve in that position, I think. I love
:10:24. > :10:29.playing nine. You have the ball all the time, you could influence the
:10:30. > :10:31.game, you could get stuck in in defence as well. It was no way in
:10:32. > :10:36.which I was going to change position, really. Probably one of
:10:37. > :10:41.the worst players I have played against. Always very vocal.
:10:42. > :10:48.Aggressive, he is a big man, he is about two foot taller than me, that
:10:49. > :10:53.was scary. And when you played against him you hated his guts.
:10:54. > :10:59.After he was your mate again, like, almost schizophrenic like. I
:11:00. > :11:06.suspected that when you portray yourself, as such an imposing
:11:07. > :11:11.figure, youle always suspect that it disguises an inner insecurity, if
:11:12. > :11:14.you are shy, and you are playing in perhaps the most prominent position
:11:15. > :11:20.on the field, you have to compensate. And so you have to
:11:21. > :11:25.become larger than life. I think it was clear from the outset that what
:11:26. > :11:31.Mike Phillips was on the rugby field, wasn't the entire picture,
:11:32. > :11:35.and so there are hidden aspects, greater levels of tears to Mike
:11:36. > :11:40.Phillips, which of course makes him simply more interesting.
:11:41. > :11:43.Xxxx tiers. In 2003, aged 21 Mike won his first cap for Wales in the
:11:44. > :11:50.match against Romania. And scored.
:11:51. > :11:56.Phillips. Dummies and goes and Mike Phillips gets over the try line. He
:11:57. > :12:03.is big and strong and wants to make his mark. Mike had a rival at both
:12:04. > :12:08.club and country. Dwayne Peel was the first choice scrum-half for
:12:09. > :12:13.Wales and the Scarlets. If he was to continue his development, Mike would
:12:14. > :12:17.have to leave. If Mike was going to compete for Wales, for international
:12:18. > :12:22.rugby honours it has to be in a different club and we were very well
:12:23. > :12:26.aware of that, and it was with our blessing that eventually Mike made
:12:27. > :12:30.the decision, really, to leave here, to go to Cardiff. What are your
:12:31. > :12:35.thoughts as you leave the Scarlets and join up with the Blues? It is
:12:36. > :12:38.emotional. Coming from West Wales, you know, I have supported the
:12:39. > :12:42.Scarlets and it is one of these things I have to move on and do. All
:12:43. > :12:47.my mates are playing here and it is a hard thing to do. I have to look
:12:48. > :12:53.forward to it now, and looking on to next season.
:12:54. > :12:58.Mike's move to the capital city was regarded as a big headline signing.
:12:59. > :13:08.At the Cardiff Blues, he was the undisputed number one. And he loved
:13:09. > :13:15.it. Mike Phillips, the bounce, he is over. Against his old club, he is
:13:16. > :13:19.delighted. We were convinced he would add
:13:20. > :13:22.significantly to our group, and so it proved really. It was a great
:13:23. > :13:28.acquisition for us at the right time. Great to wear the jersey, the
:13:29. > :13:33.likes of Gareth Edwards and Terry Holmes have worn before you. As the
:13:34. > :13:39.game has changed we have posed a physical threat. As the games
:13:40. > :13:42.change, probably Mike's physique has helped him by the competitor that he
:13:43. > :13:47.is. Like the great Terry Holmes, Mike's
:13:48. > :13:51.size was certainly an advantage in the physical side of the game. That
:13:52. > :13:56.was something that Mike relished. He liked mixing it up, and there was
:13:57. > :14:01.no room for friendship's on the rugby field. It was all about one
:14:02. > :14:07.thing. Winning. He is multi tiered. He is Holt
:14:08. > :14:13.tempered. He is a handful. Good. We should embrace him for being like
:14:14. > :14:17.that. I was getting married in 2005. The Ospreys were playing the Blues,
:14:18. > :14:20.two days before my wedding. Long kick off. I saw Mike catch it.
:14:21. > :14:26.Thought I would get the first tackle in. Might not get another one all
:14:27. > :14:32.game. Put him on the floor. As I did, he decides to hit me in the eye
:14:33. > :14:44.and he says, have that for your wedding photo. We are good friends.
:14:45. > :14:51.A bit fiery, yes. He is a character of a player. But the temper on him,
:14:52. > :14:53.he has probably mellowed a bit now that the years have gone by.
:14:54. > :14:55.Michael, you, thank you. He wasn't too bad to referee, to be
:14:56. > :15:00.honest. You know, he chipped away sometimes and have a go at you and
:15:01. > :15:16.get a bit frustrated, as most He knew when to stop the
:15:17. > :15:22.chirping with me. I'd tell him, you know, that's enough now. But you let
:15:23. > :15:26.him chirp and he'd chirp away. I probably played some of my best
:15:27. > :15:29.stuff for Dai in those two years, it was just a great
:15:30. > :15:31.relationship. You never wanted to let him down and he got the best out
:15:32. > :15:41.of me as well. Wales's second match in this year's
:15:42. > :15:45.Six Nations was against Scotland in Edinburgh.
:15:46. > :15:49.Following the disappointing loss to England, Warren Gatland's squad
:15:50. > :15:53.needed to win if they were to remain in the race for the title. Rhys Webb
:15:54. > :15:58.would start at scrum-half, with Mike on the bench once again.
:15:59. > :16:06.Rhys Webb has it and Rhys Webb will score.
:16:07. > :16:11.It's a good performance by Wales, and by Webb. Mike comes on late in
:16:12. > :16:14.the game for cap number 97 and Wales secure a vital win.
:16:15. > :16:18.It is victory for Wales and it gets them back on.
:16:19. > :16:21.It's a win away from home and it's a good win, it's another win against
:16:22. > :16:24.Scotland. The Welsh public idolise
:16:25. > :16:29.their rugby heroes. Mike has always been a big favourite with the fans,
:16:30. > :16:36.especially the females. His school visits are not always just for the
:16:37. > :16:38.benefit of the pupils. Lots of staff
:16:39. > :16:43.this morning, we were supposed to have done first aid training, we
:16:44. > :16:47.have rearranged it the next week especially to see Mike Phillips.
:16:48. > :16:50.Lots of our friends go to the internationals especially to see
:16:51. > :16:57.Mike. We were so excited to see him coming on a few weeks ago against
:16:58. > :17:02.England, all text in each other, sending photos. He is our Mr Gray.
:17:03. > :17:05.Definitely. Yes, like the lead
:17:06. > :17:10.character of the raunchy novel 50 Shades of Grey, Mike has many female
:17:11. > :17:15.admirers and many girlfriends have come and gone.
:17:16. > :17:16.There's been a lot of ladies, hasn't there? I don't want
:17:17. > :17:23.to say. He's brought a number of
:17:24. > :17:25.stunning girls down with him for us to meet and get to know quite well.
:17:26. > :17:36.And long may that continue. Mike's most publicised relationship
:17:37. > :17:38.was with Duffy, the Welsh born
:17:39. > :17:40.award-winning pop star. This was stardom
:17:41. > :17:45.on a different level. Catapulted into daily tabloid
:17:46. > :17:49.interest and A-list celebrity status. First, there was Gavin
:17:50. > :17:54.Henson and Charlotte Church. Now there was Phillips and Duffy.
:17:55. > :17:56.We had a house together in Chippenham and
:17:57. > :18:02.looking back, it was pretty crazy. I was travelling, I was spending a few
:18:03. > :18:06.days up in London and travelling two hours to get to training every day.
:18:07. > :18:10.He asked me out on a date, actually. And I had never been on a date
:18:11. > :18:15.before. So I went and I was so nervous. I don't do dates. No, I'm
:18:16. > :18:20.too scared that I would say the wrong thing or embarrass myself and,
:18:21. > :18:24.just, yeah, I just went one night and, yeah, kind of fell in love, I
:18:25. > :18:29.guess. So it is the big L, then, love?
:18:30. > :18:31.Yeah, I guess so, yeah. We were asked to go to different
:18:32. > :18:36.places and things and it wasn't about that,
:18:37. > :18:39.it was just, you know, to people who and things and it wasn't about that,
:18:40. > :18:44.it was just, you know, two people who were very fond of each other
:18:45. > :18:47.and we hardly left the house, you know, to
:18:48. > :18:52.be honest. It wasn't about being seen, or things like that, which
:18:53. > :18:55.perhaps some people might think. It was for just about two people being
:18:56. > :18:58.very fond of each other and enjoying each other's company, really. Yeah,
:18:59. > :19:01.he softened me again, you know? I got a little bit hard around the
:19:02. > :19:05.edges, you know, having to survive the big wide world. So it is nice to
:19:06. > :19:07.have someone to put his arm around me, I guess.
:19:08. > :19:10.Seeing her life and seeing it unfold and the things that
:19:11. > :19:13.she had to put up with, the falseness of certain people around
:19:14. > :19:16.her, that is on a different scale altogether, what she was doing,
:19:17. > :19:20.unbelievable career with her and stuff. So I guess people are there
:19:21. > :19:24.to knock you down, and the media and things, and you are aware of it and
:19:25. > :19:28.you have just got to try and avoid it.
:19:29. > :19:31.Mike said, look, I've got to take you down to the rugby club.
:19:32. > :19:35.Before she came in through the door, I warned her, look, you are quite
:19:36. > :19:38.likely now to meet one bloke who is the local idiot. And sure enough,
:19:39. > :19:41.this guy came over to Duffy, he says, "Are you going out with
:19:42. > :19:47.this..." I will say "clown" for the want of a better word. And she
:19:48. > :19:48.turned around to him and said, "You must be the village idiot I was
:19:49. > :20:01.warned about." The pressure of their
:20:02. > :20:09.lifestyles and careers became too much and the relationship came to an
:20:10. > :20:13.end after months. -- 18 months. You know, I was
:20:14. > :20:16.very fond of her and unfortunately, things didn't quite pan out. And,
:20:17. > :20:20.yeah, again, a big disappointment. I think the two lives, the careers we
:20:21. > :20:23.had, I think it'll got a bit too much and things, but, yeah amazing
:20:24. > :20:31.girl and, you know, she's... She's a top girl.
:20:32. > :20:37.Following the win in Scotland, Wales' next match in this
:20:38. > :20:40.year's Six Nations would be in the Stade de France in Paris. Mike was
:20:41. > :20:49.once again on the bench. If he got on, it would be cap 98.
:20:50. > :20:52.Rhys Webb is on top form once again, and
:20:53. > :20:59.plays a prominent role. Webb looking
:21:00. > :21:02.to make his way through. Chance the Webb looking
:21:03. > :21:05.to make his way through. Chance for Wales. And surely a try for Wales
:21:06. > :21:10.for Dan Biggar! That is a very, very hard earned victory. International
:21:11. > :21:14.rugby is all about winning. It's mixed feelings for Mike.
:21:15. > :21:16.A Welsh win, but he didn't get on. It is the
:21:17. > :21:19.first time that a fully fit Mike Phillips has not played any part of
:21:20. > :21:24.a Six Nations match during Warren Gatland's seven year reign as coach
:21:25. > :21:28.of Wales. The post-match warm down
:21:29. > :21:31.can be a lonely place when questions are looming about your future as an
:21:32. > :21:33.international player. Yeah, it is very, very difficult,
:21:34. > :21:37.I think. Perhaps something that, you know, to
:21:38. > :21:42.be honest, over the last... Since Gats has come in, really, I haven't
:21:43. > :21:46.had to deal with too often, really, to be honest. So it is a different
:21:47. > :21:49.sort of look on it. It is hard, you know?
:21:50. > :21:58.Warren Gatland was appointed Welsh coach in November 2007, at a
:21:59. > :22:03.time when Wales needed to rebuild. I think the moment Warren Gatland
:22:04. > :22:09.arrived and started putting Wales back into shape, I think he was
:22:10. > :22:13.looking for a certain dog, a certain mongrel attitude which Mike Phillips
:22:14. > :22:17.has, you know? Right, who is going to put their hand up to get
:22:18. > :22:22.stuck in? Mike Phillips would have been one of the first to volunteer.
:22:23. > :22:26.Gatland's first match in charge was the 2008 Six Nations opener
:22:27. > :22:30.against England at Twickenham. Mike was picked at scrum-half, but for
:22:31. > :22:41.Wales, things could not have started any worse.
:22:42. > :22:45.Vainikolo. Great off-load by Lesley Vainikolo
:22:46. > :22:52.for Toby Phillips. And England are ruling at Twickenham.
:22:53. > :22:58.-- for Toby Flood. And England are ruling at Twickenham.
:22:59. > :23:01.Oh, we were on the pitch, thinking, here we go again, you
:23:02. > :23:04.know? We were under the cosh for the whole of the first half. You know,
:23:05. > :23:06.they gave us a stern talking to at half-time.
:23:07. > :23:09.What exactly was said in the dressing room? Get the ball to
:23:10. > :23:14.Phillips. No. Second half, we just turned it around, you know? The boys
:23:15. > :23:19.stepped it up. Hook gets away. James
:23:20. > :23:22.Cook. It all happening. Lee Byrne. And the conversion could bring the
:23:23. > :23:26.scores level. I remember the body
:23:27. > :23:30.language then of the English boys was a bit flat and you just sort of
:23:31. > :23:35.felt, we have got them here. Iain Balshaw. Charged down by
:23:36. > :23:38.Phillips. Oh, it is off for Wales. Good pick-up by Jenkins. Martyn
:23:39. > :23:46.Williams. Back to Phillips. England, what have you done? And Wales, what
:23:47. > :23:48.are you doing? An unbelievable
:23:49. > :23:58.feeling to score. It was pretty surreal. And I was just thinking,
:23:59. > :24:04.how many people are going to be watching and how many people will be
:24:05. > :24:06.jumping up and down as well, which is great. I did feel like time was
:24:07. > :24:11.standing still. Wales have won! What
:24:12. > :24:17.a start for Warren Gatland. I think you can look at that
:24:18. > :24:23.comeback, that rise in that one game and go, that's
:24:24. > :24:25.where it began. This was but the
:24:26. > :24:28.start of a whole era of Welsh success.
:24:29. > :24:30.It kicked off a very special Six Nations campaign for
:24:31. > :24:35.Wales. Subsequent wins against Scotland and Italy meant that they
:24:36. > :24:39.were two wins away from a Grand Slam. Next up was Ireland. There was
:24:40. > :24:45.a fierce rivalry brewing between Mike and the great Irish
:24:46. > :24:49.outside-half Ronan O'Gara. Ireland-Wales has always been
:24:50. > :24:54.obviously a humdinger of a game, but it is always against Mike and I am
:24:55. > :24:57.playing ten, and Mike is playing nine and Mike wants to kill me and I
:24:58. > :25:00.want to put him off his game. In the warm up,
:25:01. > :25:03.the people are coming into the stadium. I mean, if you notice,
:25:04. > :25:10.they are going hammer and tongs on the pitch
:25:11. > :25:13.in the warm up, even before we have crossed paths. I mean, there is
:25:14. > :25:17.sledging but at the top level, you need sledging because there is tiny
:25:18. > :25:20.margins involved and whatever way you can get an advantage, and Mike
:25:21. > :25:22.knew how to get an advantage. I mean, it
:25:23. > :25:26.was horrendous the things you said but when it is over, it is over and
:25:27. > :25:30.you would be in the shower laughing, saying, oh my God, did I
:25:31. > :25:35.say that the Mike? What did he say to me? I can't really say what I
:25:36. > :25:38.said, but he started it, so... The Triple Crown decider would be at
:25:39. > :25:42.Croke Park, Dublin. Wales were trailing 6-3 when a touch of red
:25:43. > :25:45.mist descended on Mike. This man has dropped his knee onto his back,
:25:46. > :25:52.touch judge report - recommendation yellow card. And he goes to the bin.
:25:53. > :25:57.I just thought, I'm never going to get on again, I'm not going to get
:25:58. > :26:01.on. Here we go, people are going to hate me. I just thought it was going
:26:02. > :26:05.to be like David Beckham, you know? Following his ten minutes in the
:26:06. > :26:06.sin-bin, Mike was desperate to make amends and Wales slowly started to
:26:07. > :26:12.turn things around. Stephen Jones.
:26:13. > :26:17.Now then, some width. Shane Williams.
:26:18. > :26:22.Always a bolt of excitement. Williams has scored.
:26:23. > :26:24.That try sealed the Triple Crown for Wales, much to
:26:25. > :26:27.Mike's relief. And Wales are a step away,
:26:28. > :26:32.a win away, from another Grand Slam.
:26:33. > :26:36.Now it was only France who stood between Wales, Mike and the
:26:37. > :26:45.Grand Slam. James Hook starts the
:26:46. > :26:51.Grand Slam showdown at the Millennium Stadium.
:26:52. > :26:55.A bit of a scrappy game, a lot of defence and
:26:56. > :27:01.the key moment, Shane delivered again. It's a foot race and Shane
:27:02. > :27:05.Williams is going to get it. It is going to be Martyn Williams!
:27:06. > :27:13.It is! Martyn Williams! And Wales are back in Grand Slam rugby mode.
:27:14. > :27:18.Final whistle goes, you are just exhausted, you can barely
:27:19. > :27:22.stand up and it is just relief and a massive weight of pressure off your
:27:23. > :27:24.shoulders and you know you can relax and enjoy it a bit now and savour
:27:25. > :27:48.the moment. 2008 would be Mike's
:27:49. > :27:51.first Grand Slam. Another would follow in 2012.
:27:52. > :27:56.Mike's longest period with the Welsh region was
:27:57. > :28:00.with the Ospreys. He moved there from the Cardiff Blues and became
:28:01. > :28:04.one of Wales' highest-paid players. The region had huge ambition for
:28:05. > :28:09.domestic and European honours. To fulfil that dream, they had
:28:10. > :28:14.assembled a team of so-called Galactictos, or star players, and
:28:15. > :28:17.Mike Phillips was one of the biggest stars of all.
:28:18. > :28:20.It is no different to an actor going on stage. You move on
:28:21. > :28:23.there, you become somebody else and Mike became this champion, this
:28:24. > :28:27.winner. This aggressive animal at nine who wanted to... If he couldn't
:28:28. > :28:31.score a try, he wanted to beat you up and then he wanted to go out with
:28:32. > :28:39.your girlfriend straight after it. You know, you respect that in
:28:40. > :28:42.champions and elite players. If you are scrum-half, you've got
:28:43. > :28:46.your immediate one-on-one with your
:28:47. > :28:47.opposite number. Mike Phillips. Take that challenge.
:28:48. > :28:56.As scrum-half, you've also got yourself against the
:28:57. > :29:00.opposing back row. I fancy that. Two, he would have said. Mike
:29:01. > :29:03.Phillips against one to 15, yeah, bring it on. The Ospreys dressing
:29:04. > :29:06.room was full of Welsh rugby's most colourful characters. Their
:29:07. > :29:11.headlines were as prominent on the front pages as they were on the
:29:12. > :29:14.back. Coaching the rugby was the
:29:15. > :29:17.easiest part of it all. It was the off-field incidents with players,
:29:18. > :29:21.young guys who all of a sudden have got the world at their feet and they
:29:22. > :29:24.are behaving like any other person of that age.
:29:25. > :29:28.Certainly interesting turning up to training
:29:29. > :29:32.on a Monday morning. There was a fair few stories flying about. Yeah,
:29:33. > :29:34.a lot of boys keeping their heads down.
:29:35. > :29:40.Captured on camera, Mike Phillips pinned to the pavement,
:29:41. > :29:45.restrained by police after an alleged altercation outside a
:29:46. > :29:48.fast-food restaurant in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The player
:29:49. > :29:53.is handcuffed and led away by police, but was later released. It
:29:54. > :29:58.was following his split from Duffy in 2011 that Mike was involved in
:29:59. > :30:04.the late-night scuffle outside McDonald's in Cardiff City centre.
:30:05. > :30:07.It wasn't the first time that he'd made front-page headlines.
:30:08. > :30:10.Being Mike Phillips means that he is constantly in the glare of public
:30:11. > :30:17.scrutiny and the goldfish bowl of Welsh rugby stardom.
:30:18. > :30:25.I made poor decision, I think, but I think everybody has in all walks of
:30:26. > :30:31.life. Nobody is perfect. I have seen people trying to pull his strings
:30:32. > :30:34.really, and it is difficult, sometimes, when Mike is only trying
:30:35. > :30:38.to have a night out. I have only been out with him once or twice,
:30:39. > :30:44.after the tenth person came up and told him that things didn't go all
:30:45. > :30:47.that well today, well, you know it was wearing thin on me. You could
:30:48. > :30:51.have a bad game on the weekend. I have had one and someone doesn't
:30:52. > :30:55.mind telling me to my face I am rubbish on the Sunday. A lot of
:30:56. > :30:58.people don't understand that professional rugby, especially
:30:59. > :31:01.playing number nine is a position of deep importance, deep
:31:02. > :31:06.responsibility, but you need to release that, and of course, he
:31:07. > :31:12.might not have release it in the right way at times but we all make
:31:13. > :31:19.mistakes. It is unfortunate he has been tracked by a fairly aggressive
:31:20. > :31:23.tabloid interest. I suspect it says something about the growing
:31:24. > :31:29.popularity of rugby, that it attracts that red top interest, more
:31:30. > :31:34.than it does about Mike Phillips being a trouble maker.
:31:35. > :31:40.You know incidents have happened which he has regretted, you know,
:31:41. > :31:46.and some things get blown out of proportion but we have shared some
:31:47. > :31:56.words with him, and you know, tried to sort them out. He is welcome here
:31:57. > :32:01.at all times. Sometimes it is a good bolthole for him one when his ex
:32:02. > :32:05.paid have made the headlines. He knows he will be protected.
:32:06. > :32:11.Following his front-page headline, Mike was eager to create some back
:32:12. > :32:17.page news at the 2011 Rugby World Cup. I was so determined after that,
:32:18. > :32:22.to prove people wrong and go to the World Cup and show everybody what I
:32:23. > :32:28.was about, and you know, what type of person I really am.
:32:29. > :32:31.Wales had high hopes in the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. In
:32:32. > :32:38.the quarterfinal they faced Ireland and it was Mike who scored the
:32:39. > :32:42.decisive try. I thought we were going to go to a semifinal and they
:32:43. > :32:48.would beat us but it was Mike's try that was the turning point. Big
:32:49. > :32:51.players, big moments. Big games. There would be no bigger than the
:32:52. > :32:57.semifinal against France but it would be a match that would be
:32:58. > :33:03.remembered for one incident. The sending off of Sam Warburton. I
:33:04. > :33:08.couldn't believe it. He just put a big tackle in, really. That is the
:33:09. > :33:14.way I seen it. It is like, this is just not our day. He is someone who
:33:15. > :33:18.will be determined. He will never throw the towel in, fight for the
:33:19. > :33:22.full 80 minute, that shows his character. 14 man Wales battled on
:33:23. > :33:28.with Mike leading the charge. His try brought Wales to within a point
:33:29. > :33:32.of the French, and with only seconds remaining, Wales were awarded a
:33:33. > :33:39.penalty. And up stepped Leigh Halfpenny. He was devastated. To get
:33:40. > :33:46.so close to a final of the Rugby World Cup, and to miss out by inches
:33:47. > :33:51.really, it's, it was tough to take. Wales had given their all, and had
:33:52. > :34:00.come to within inches of the Rugby World Cup final. One aspect of his
:34:01. > :34:05.life that goes largely unnoticed is his work with various charities.
:34:06. > :34:10.I am Mike Phillips I am a proud ambassador for Breast Cancer Care
:34:11. > :34:13.recovery. He is a patron of the Follow Your Dreams organisation that
:34:14. > :34:19.provides opportunities for children and young people to fulfil their
:34:20. > :34:26.potential and dreams. Sheezs every opportunity to catch up with some of
:34:27. > :34:32.his friends in the charity. Today we are off to have lunch with an
:34:33. > :34:38.ambassador for Follow Your Dreams, a young girl, Amy, Amy has had an
:34:39. > :34:41.operation last week, and catching up with her, and seeing how she is
:34:42. > :34:46.really. After that, on to the school. One of the young boys, Luke,
:34:47. > :34:49.he is 18 soon, so it will be nice to catch up with him and say happy
:34:50. > :34:56.birthday to him. It is going to be a good day.
:34:57. > :35:06.Hiya. All right? You OK? Yes. You all right? Yes. Who is this? Mike.
:35:07. > :35:10.First time I met her, must will have been nearly eight to ten years ago,
:35:11. > :35:17.when she was in hospital, and yes, she is just a star, you know, she's
:35:18. > :35:22.a character, and you know, great personality again, and she is so
:35:23. > :35:27.bubbly and happy she has been through such, such an ordeal. So
:35:28. > :35:31.many operations and time in hospital, and you know, you feel for
:35:32. > :35:39.her. How long were you in hospital for? A couple of days. A couple of
:35:40. > :35:46.days? Yes. Was the teddy bear with you? Yes. Did he have any teeth out?
:35:47. > :35:49.No! O There is a beautiful picture of him hugging a little girl, which
:35:50. > :35:55.has been right through social media, and I think it is on the side of
:35:56. > :36:00.lorries to promote the charity, and it is a really natural genuine
:36:01. > :36:06.picture, and I think if anybody, you know, would doubt he has a soft
:36:07. > :36:09.side, that he is just spiky Mikey, this animal on the pitch, whatever,
:36:10. > :36:23.you see that and you realise there is more depth to him than that.
:36:24. > :36:30.Hello. You all right? You OK? Luke, every time you meet him, you have
:36:31. > :36:40.great conversations, he has a great personality, great sense of humour.
:36:41. > :36:48.You have about a hundred of these. He is selling them on eBay? I am
:36:49. > :36:53.joking! He is just a normal guy. Even though he plays rugby. When he
:36:54. > :37:00.is off the pitch, she is just one of us, like. Xxxx he is just one of us,
:37:01. > :37:08.like. One of us, one of us guys. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you.
:37:09. > :37:18.I tweeted him to say have a good Christmas. A couple of days before
:37:19. > :37:24.that, my dad got, a present off Mike. It was a game voucher to spend
:37:25. > :37:29.in Game. I thought that was nice of him, to take his own time, to buy
:37:30. > :37:36.someone a Christmas present. He is just a really nice guy in general.
:37:37. > :37:40.The 2015 Six Nations would turn into quite a battle. Wales' fourth game
:37:41. > :37:47.in Championship would be against Ireland in Cardiff. The Irish were
:37:48. > :37:50.on course for the Grand Slam, with Wales had ambitions of their own and
:37:51. > :37:55.had the possibility of winning the Championship. Mike was on the bench
:37:56. > :38:00.but his am peerns is his 98 international match. Wales won the
:38:01. > :38:05.game, the Championship dream was still on.
:38:06. > :38:10.Over the years, Mike has been at the forefront of Wales' battles against
:38:11. > :38:16.the Irish. Following the Welsh defeat to Ireland in 2014, Mike was
:38:17. > :38:23.involved in a spat on Twitter with a very famous Irish supporter. Niall
:38:24. > :38:29.Horan from One Direction. I first met Mike on Twitter, with a row we
:38:30. > :38:34.had. During an Irish Wales game he threw his toys out of the programme
:38:35. > :38:41.and had a row with rob Kearney. Niall posted Mike Phillips is like a
:38:42. > :38:50.child throwing his toys out of the pram.
:38:51. > :38:56.To which Mike replied. I think people saw the funny side of it,
:38:57. > :39:00.thank God, and, which is my humour really. At the time the two of them
:39:01. > :39:05.were playing in France together. Jonny said, Mike is in New York, he
:39:06. > :39:12.wants to meet up with you. And I was like, yes, here we go. So, met up
:39:13. > :39:18.with Mike, in a bar in New York, we had a pint together. We had a bit of
:39:19. > :39:22.banter. Good laugh. He was getting, you know, he was hundreds of girls
:39:23. > :39:29.outside every pub we went to, he had to leave through the back doors of
:39:30. > :39:35.these places, and you know, he was massive there, so it was like me in
:39:36. > :39:41.St Claires. He is a good laugh. He is not as good as he thinks he is.
:39:42. > :39:51.He thinks that he is the best player ever, he, he was recently telling me
:39:52. > :39:55.a story about how when Dan Carter signed for Racing Metro, he actually
:39:56. > :39:58.DMed him on Twitter saying hi Dan it is Mike from two of, from the
:39:59. > :40:04.greatest nine to the greatest ten in the world. Just welcoming you to the
:40:05. > :40:08.club. That proves and shows how cocky Mike Phillips is. When you
:40:09. > :40:13.know him well, there is a lot of humour there. Everything he says,
:40:14. > :40:16.you know, people deem it arrogance, but I don't think it is. It is Mike
:40:17. > :40:22.being Mike. He doesn't take himself too seriously. I have played with
:40:23. > :40:25.players who have played against me for years and joined meme on the
:40:26. > :40:29.team and whatever, they tell me Mike, I thought you were, you know,
:40:30. > :40:32.this type of person, and having met me, they always have a different
:40:33. > :40:37.opinion, so I guess that is a nice thing to know.
:40:38. > :40:42.Every four years, the best players from England, Ireland, Scotland and
:40:43. > :40:47.Wales are chosen to represent the British and Irish Lions and tour one
:40:48. > :40:52.of the Southern Hemisphere rugby strongholds. Might has been chosen
:40:53. > :40:59.twice, if 2009 he played in all three tests on the losing tour of
:41:00. > :41:03.South Africa. In 2013 under Warren Gatland, the Lions created history.
:41:04. > :41:08.Victory in Australia was their first series win for 16 years. Despite
:41:09. > :41:12.struggling with a knee injury, Mike played in two of the three tests and
:41:13. > :41:18.those two happened to be the matches that the Lions won to secure a 2-1
:41:19. > :41:28.series win. Archive it! History made. The
:41:29. > :41:34.Welshman in this very Lions team are having the time of their life. To
:41:35. > :41:41.cement your place in the Pantheon you to win a Lions's tour. And I
:41:42. > :41:45.think it was, I think it was probably the last of Mike Phillips's
:41:46. > :41:51.at his world class best. And it is hard not to come back from a winning
:41:52. > :41:55.Lions tour without thinking what beats that then? Barry John, 71 came
:41:56. > :42:01.home, much younger than Mike Phillips and said where do I go from
:42:02. > :42:07.here? So I think if you win a Lions tour, it can be difficult at the
:42:08. > :42:15.tail end of your career, to get yourself back up for, just going
:42:16. > :42:20.through it all again. On the last weekend of this year's six nation,
:42:21. > :42:26.any one of four countries could win the Championship. Wales travelled to
:42:27. > :42:30.face Italy in Rome, but would do so without Mike. For the first time
:42:31. > :42:37.ever Gatland had dropped him from the squad. It was a big
:42:38. > :42:41.disappointment for Mike. To be left out, I guess, the first time in my
:42:42. > :42:46.career, since I had been in the Welsh squad, many moons ago, and
:42:47. > :42:53.yes, it is tough to take. Here goes Webb, to the right-hand side, he is
:42:54. > :42:59.going to do it himself. Wales put on a try fest in Rome but it wasn't
:43:00. > :43:04.enough to win the Championship. Wales are over the line. Williams,
:43:05. > :43:08.yes, another try in this sensational second half for Wales. Mike was left
:43:09. > :43:14.hoping that it was not the end of the road for his career under
:43:15. > :43:20.Gatland. We did have a brief chat and things, and in the past, I have
:43:21. > :43:26.tended to be, tend to clog things up. It is important to get things
:43:27. > :43:33.off your chest. He was good and positive, and you know, hopefully it
:43:34. > :43:43.is not the end. Since 2011, Mike has played his club
:43:44. > :43:47.rugby in France. Initially, he joined Bayonne from the Ospreys,
:43:48. > :43:51.most of the world's top players were heading to the fashionable and
:43:52. > :43:57.wealthy French league. To begin with, he settled well at the Basque
:43:58. > :44:04.club and proved popular with his team-mates and the fans.
:44:05. > :44:12.You sell many of these shirts. A lot. Number one? Number one. During
:44:13. > :44:16.the second season things started to turn sour for Mike. A change of
:44:17. > :44:21.coaches and dispointing results and he in the headlines again. The
:44:22. > :44:24.future of Wales rugby international Mike Phillips is in doubt with
:44:25. > :44:28.reports he has been sacked by his club. It is over allegations he was
:44:29. > :44:36.under the influence of alcohol at work. We had a poor start. We were
:44:37. > :44:42.second from bottom in the league, you know, I guess one of the highest
:44:43. > :44:48.earners there, away a lot. They make a decision to you know, move me on
:44:49. > :44:54.in such a way and it was nice the way they did it.
:44:55. > :44:58.A bit of legal restrictions on it, but you know, didn't agree with the
:44:59. > :45:01.way it ended there. You know,
:45:02. > :45:04.you get your legal team behind you and you sort things out and,
:45:05. > :45:07.you know, they ended up having to pay what they owed me, so headlines
:45:08. > :45:09.are headlines, aren't they? And I think if people got a bit
:45:10. > :45:13.of initiative, they can look behind it, but, you
:45:14. > :45:16.know, there is no point saying... People don't want to hear good
:45:17. > :45:19.things, they don't want to hear nice stories, they want to hear when
:45:20. > :45:22.people fail or make a mistake and unfortunately, that is the way the
:45:23. > :45:26.world is, is very, very sad but, yeah, that's the world we live
:45:27. > :45:30.in and that's what it's like. The bad press and rumours that
:45:31. > :45:35.followed Mike at Bayonne in 2013 didn't seem to worry Racing Metro.
:45:36. > :45:39.Less than two months after leaving Bayonne, he signed for the Parisian
:45:40. > :45:43.club and he was back at the very top level of European club rugby.
:45:44. > :45:49.And it's Paris that has become home to Mike for the past two years.
:45:50. > :45:54.Hello, welcome, bienvenue, come in. This is the apartment.
:45:55. > :45:58.It's not massive, or anything. It's pretty close to training,
:45:59. > :46:02.which is great. It was a short notice deal to come
:46:03. > :46:07.here and the boy who gave me this was actually another nine as well,
:46:08. > :46:09.he got injured, so he gave me his flat and his contract and I
:46:10. > :46:15.almost had his girlfriend in the end as well, so...
:46:16. > :46:20.A couple of heroes of mine. James Bond and George Best.
:46:21. > :46:27.We got given these on the Lions. They put it above your peg.
:46:28. > :46:30.I have stuck it on my bedroom door, just to give me a bit
:46:31. > :46:34.of confidence and hopefully seal the deal if I get lucky.
:46:35. > :46:45.Whenever they have an opportunity, Mike's parents visit him at
:46:46. > :46:48.the flat on the outskirts of Paris. It is always nice to catch up
:46:49. > :46:52.and for Morfydd to keep a close eye on her youngest son.
:46:53. > :46:55.It's always great to see them and I always try to catch up with them
:46:56. > :47:04.as often as possible. Yeah, it's great to have them
:47:05. > :47:06.around, showing them around Paris. Nice having Mam in the kitchen,
:47:07. > :47:10.and helping in the house. Mam is ironing all the shirts,
:47:11. > :47:12.so I'm ready for a few nights out. And dad's always great
:47:13. > :47:14.fun to be with. Do your best, that's all you can do,
:47:15. > :47:17.isn't it? The French league is amongst one
:47:18. > :47:20.of the most competitive and wealthy competitions in club rugby.
:47:21. > :47:23.Racing are at the very top of the tree and have attracted some of the
:47:24. > :47:27.world's top players, including All Blacks Dan Carter and Joe Rokocoko.
:47:28. > :47:32.Ironically, Mike's big rival Ronan O'Gara is now
:47:33. > :47:35.one of Racing's coaches and fellow Welshman Luke Charteris
:47:36. > :47:40.is one of Mike's team-mates and lives nearby, which is handy
:47:41. > :47:42.for lifts to the matches, although Luke wishes Mike had a bigger car.
:47:43. > :47:50.What's going on, Michael? Straight on.
:47:51. > :47:52.Turn right, there, Mike. How have you been doing this travel,
:47:53. > :47:53.Michael? Two years?
:47:54. > :47:55.But there's many different ways you can take.
:47:56. > :48:00.There is one route. You're in the wrong lane.
:48:01. > :48:03.Excuse my French. He is a farmer from West Wales, he
:48:04. > :48:05.doesn't understand two carriageways. Big city living,
:48:06. > :48:11.it's not quite there, is it? Do we go left here?
:48:12. > :48:15.You go down here and go left. I have spent a lot of time with Mike
:48:16. > :48:17.over the years and he's a character, but he's a top guy,
:48:18. > :48:21.he's one of the best. One of the first I would choose to
:48:22. > :48:24.be around in any team environment just because of the banter he brings
:48:25. > :48:29.and the person he is, really. 78, still single, living the dream.
:48:30. > :48:34.That is the French Mike Phillips right there.
:48:35. > :48:41.As with Wales, Mike has had to make do with a place
:48:42. > :48:46.on the bench for most of 2015, but when he has appeared, the old hunger
:48:47. > :48:49.of the competitor is still evident. And his mother Morfydd still
:48:50. > :48:52.worries. I'm not a very good watcher.
:48:53. > :49:03.Well, I want him to do well in a game
:49:04. > :49:05.because I know he wants to do well. You know, as a mother,
:49:06. > :49:08.you feel for your children. One of the perks
:49:09. > :49:11.of being a rugby star is being able to treat your parents at some
:49:12. > :49:16.of Paris's finest restaurants. Beyond his rugby career,
:49:17. > :49:19.one future path that may be open to Mike would be modelling.
:49:20. > :49:21.He is already quite an old hand on the catwalk.
:49:22. > :49:24.As one of Racing Metro's club sponsors, the cosmetics company
:49:25. > :49:25.Clarins are only too happy to include Mike and his colleagues
:49:26. > :49:33.in their advertising campaigns. I think they have gone
:49:34. > :49:38.from the best-looking down, so obviously I was first pick.
:49:39. > :49:43.Juan, second choice. I don't know what Luke's doing here.
:49:44. > :49:46.Feeling sorry for him. He looks very good and believe me,
:49:47. > :49:48.when he is coming to our office in Paris where there is 95% women,
:49:49. > :50:00.he is the one that they prefer. Yeah, it was a very pleasant shoot,
:50:01. > :50:06.you know? Seeing all big guys, strong...
:50:07. > :50:08.But they love it, you know? And when I was looking,
:50:09. > :50:13.they are even more better looking than any type of models.
:50:14. > :50:16.It's not only in Paris that Mike's modelling potential is in demand.
:50:17. > :50:22.He recently signed a contract with leading London modelling agency MOT.
:50:23. > :50:26.I was asked to go to meet up with this company in London
:50:27. > :50:33.and ended up sort of signing this contract and I didn't really think
:50:34. > :50:40.much of it, you know? And then all of a sudden, it's on
:50:41. > :50:43.social media and it's on the front of the Western Wales, somehow.
:50:44. > :50:45.I mean, there can't be much going on in Wales that day.
:50:46. > :50:47.He's certainly got the looks. He certainly enjoys being
:50:48. > :50:50.photographed and people enjoy looking at his photographs.
:50:51. > :50:53.He calls Conor Murray a poor man's Mike Phillips.
:50:54. > :50:58.I call Mike a poor man's George Clooney, but he takes it.
:50:59. > :51:02.The problem with Mike, I think, is finding
:51:03. > :51:07.a woman that he loves more than he loves himself, so it could be
:51:08. > :51:10.a long time before Mike's married. I would like to see him
:51:11. > :51:14.settling down now, yes, yes. His hair is going a bit silvery
:51:15. > :51:18.and I think it is time. He may have got to the stage where
:51:19. > :51:22.he is in his early 30s, he seen a lot of the other guys settle down.
:51:23. > :51:26.I know he is very fond of his nephews, so, you know...
:51:27. > :51:32.Maybe a more kind of grounded, low-key family life awaits Mike.
:51:33. > :51:36.I am looking forward in the future to settling down,
:51:37. > :51:42.having a family, of course. It is something I really want.
:51:43. > :51:45.That is a big goal of mine, really. I think we all want to find the one,
:51:46. > :51:47.don't we? We all want to fall in love and
:51:48. > :51:54.hopefully, that can happen to me. Let's go!
:51:55. > :51:59.At the beginning of June, Wales stepped up their preparation
:52:00. > :52:02.for this year's Rugby World Cup. A 45-man squad travelled to two
:52:03. > :52:05.gruelling training camps in Switzerland and Qatar.
:52:06. > :52:12.Mike was included and needed to impress.
:52:13. > :52:17.Before Warren Gatland would name his final 31-man squad
:52:18. > :52:21.for the Rugby World Cup, Wales were to play three warm up matches.
:52:22. > :52:25.The first of those would be against Ireland at Cardiff.
:52:26. > :52:28.It would be the last chance for some of the players to impress.
:52:29. > :52:31.Mike is included in the starting line-up.
:52:32. > :52:35.It's his first start for Wales in 2015.
:52:36. > :52:42.His 99th cap and maybe one of his most important.
:52:43. > :52:46.The game made Mike the third most capped scrum-half
:52:47. > :52:48.in the history of world rugby. It's a tough afternoon for Wales
:52:49. > :52:51.and as the match develops and Ireland run in their five tries,
:52:52. > :52:56.it becomes apparent that some of these Welsh players might not be
:52:57. > :53:00.a part of Gatland's plans. Mike is substituted in
:53:01. > :53:05.the 50th minute for Lloyd Williams. Ireland win the match 35-21.
:53:06. > :53:13.Would this be Mike's last appearance at the Millennium Stadium?
:53:14. > :53:21.The short wait for the news on the final World Cup squad would
:53:22. > :53:24.be a long and anxious one. Then the news breaks that Mike has
:53:25. > :53:28.been left out of the squad and would not play
:53:29. > :53:34.in this year's Rugby World Cup. We had an e-mail to say that we
:53:35. > :53:37.weren't required to come in. And that was it, really.
:53:38. > :53:42.It was obviously disappointment and...
:53:43. > :53:47.You know, frustration, really, at first, and then, you know, then
:53:48. > :53:53.obviously your family and friends come into it and, you know...
:53:54. > :53:59.You dwell on it and there's not a lot I could have differently, so...
:54:00. > :54:05.You are so proud when things go well, you know?
:54:06. > :54:08.And then when disappointments come along, you know, the whole family
:54:09. > :54:13.shares his disappointment then. You know?
:54:14. > :54:20.I've been part of the squad for, you know, 12 years,
:54:21. > :54:22.13 years in the squad. Yeah,
:54:23. > :54:29.I would have liked it if Gats had come up to me and said, "Mike, let's
:54:30. > :54:33.have a chat," but there we are. You know, that is the nature of the
:54:34. > :54:38.beast and, you know, it's cruel at times but, you know, it's simple.
:54:39. > :54:40.If you're not good enough, you're not good enough and that's
:54:41. > :54:50.the end of the day really. Wales's final warm up game
:54:51. > :54:53.for this year's Rugby World Cup would be against Italy
:54:54. > :54:55.at the Millennium Stadium. Early in the match, there is a bad
:54:56. > :54:59.injury to scrum-half Rhys Webb. Oh, no.
:55:00. > :55:13.That's Rhys Webb. This is not good news.
:55:14. > :55:17.Not good news at all. Webb is carried from the field
:55:18. > :55:21.with a serious foot injury. The twists and turns
:55:22. > :55:24.of sporting fate are at it again. Rhys Webb is ruled out of the
:55:25. > :55:28.Rugby World Cup. His replacement in
:55:29. > :55:32.the squad would be Mike Phillips. Following a late-night phone call,
:55:33. > :55:36.Mike flies in from Paris to join up with the Welsh World Cup squad.
:55:37. > :55:39.When he got dropped, he didn't give up.
:55:40. > :55:42.When he was left out of the World Cup squad,
:55:43. > :55:50.I'm still available, he said. It says a lot
:55:51. > :55:55.about him that it's a recognition of his failing powers, but also s
:55:56. > :55:58.defiance was that I like that. I like that about rugby players,
:55:59. > :56:02.who just go, I know, I know, but you think I am stopping?
:56:03. > :56:04.You've got to be joking. This year's Rugby World Cup would be
:56:05. > :56:07.yet another roller-coaster for Wales.
:56:08. > :56:10.It would, however, be a frustrating time for Phillips.
:56:11. > :56:13.With young scrum-halves Gareth Davies and Lloyd Williams
:56:14. > :56:21.playing well, the old warrior Mike Phillips was not chosen for any of
:56:22. > :56:25.the matches and could only look on. On December the 1st, Mike Phillips
:56:26. > :56:33.announced his decision to bring his career with Wales to an end.
:56:34. > :56:38.I guess, for me, it is just a chance to close a chapter of my life.
:56:39. > :56:44.I think playing for Wales has been a massive part of my life, my adult
:56:45. > :56:51.life, really, since I was 20, 21. I think it's just a chance to close
:56:52. > :56:54.that part of my life and to move on to the next chapter, a chance to
:56:55. > :56:59.say thank you to everyone, to family, friends, all the supporters.
:57:00. > :57:04.I think it's been amazing. That's all I wanted to do,
:57:05. > :57:08.was to play rugby for Wales and it's nice to say...
:57:09. > :57:13.To put a close on it as well and to move onto the next thing,
:57:14. > :57:14.whatever that is. International rugby is tough,
:57:15. > :57:18.you know? It's not easy.
:57:19. > :57:22.You have to give absolutely everything to win a game
:57:23. > :57:24.and I think it is those winning moments, you know, winning the
:57:25. > :57:27.Grand Slams, championships, I have got those memories and I
:57:28. > :57:32.will cherish them forever and nobody can take them away.
:57:33. > :57:38.You know, from the start, I have been different, a different type
:57:39. > :57:41.of nine, as well, and I wanted to help my team in every possible way
:57:42. > :57:48.and bring that sort of aggression and energy and that was my role.
:57:49. > :57:51.Now I'll be the guy on the side supporting the players and I'll be
:57:52. > :57:53.supporting them, you know, with all my heart and I'll be enjoying my
:57:54. > :58:02.pint on the side, I can assure you. If I could speak to myself
:58:03. > :58:07.as an eight-year-old kid, you know, I'd have taken one cap, you know?
:58:08. > :58:11.And to have the opportunity to represent
:58:12. > :58:16.my country so many times for the Lions and things, 99 international
:58:17. > :58:20.caps, I will take that. I am very proud,
:58:21. > :58:23.very happy of what I have achieved. Yes, that is Mike Phillips signing
:58:24. > :58:31.off on 99 international caps. Thank you very much.
:58:32. > :59:07.# I'm just a soul who's intentions are good
:59:08. > :59:12.# Oh, Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood