Should Phillips be benched if Wales want to move forward?

Mike Phillips has come of age in the last 4 years. He has been at the heart of this successful Welsh side, superb at the breakdown acting as a third flanker whilst also excellent in defence. He was instrumental on the Lions tour and is a big match player. However, as we all know his service is rather slow which can be very frustrating at times, with more and more teams seemingly getting him quicker and more frequently. Now I ask, with Wales' fast paced and attacking style, do we need to start looking at starting Lloyd Williams and Rhys Webb more often. Those two are the future for Wales, with Phillips heading towards his twilight years.

Webb has been superb for Osprey's this season, making breaks from every where using his electric pace to burst through defences. His passing is very quick and very accurate and looked very good when he came on against Italy. Lloyd Williams also posses similar attributes to Webb, perhaps edging it in the kicking stakes. He was excellent at the world cup, and despite not having a great season for the Blues (Who has?) he was very good in the six nations when called upon. I like Phillips, i'm not suggesting he should be dropped. What I am saying is I think he should be used more as a sub, coming on after 60 mins when defences are a bit tired, because it's the last thing the opposition want is a big scrum half like Phillips busy at the breakdowns and making breaks from around the fringes. I think Wales' backs and forwards would all benefit from quicker ball earlier on the game where they can attack it at even greater pace than they do now. Phillips experience will tell when he comes on and could hopefully be closing out games rather than chasing them.

What do you guys think, am I talking nonsense or do you agree.

You are not talking nonsense but his delivery is not always poor. It is sometimes though.

I want to see the young guys get more game time, Williams, Davies, Webb and Knoyle will all be good candidates over the next few years. Goos to see them all push each other.

Rhodri Williams too, though a bit younger.

I agree I think he's improved his delivery speed in the last two years, like you said, the youngsters need some game time, hopefully Williams will start and Webb will come on for a half each in the Barbarians game .

I watched the (recorded) match of the Cardiff Blues 14-26 Scarlets match.

The Scarlets Gareth Davies scored a try and outplayed Williams in all areas, speed of distribution, strength around the scrum, direct running play, and awareness

Now this might have been a one off but somehow listening to the plaudits from all the rugby fraternity of the Scarlets free flowing attack minded play which is more akin to the Welsh international teams style of play, I would say Davies must be considered for the Baa Baas match and even for the summer series

I do not rate Phillips at all. He is slow, lumbering and gives a slow and innacurate delivery of the ball.

I have no Idea why Gatland perseveres with Phillips when he has such a dangerous backline. What I mean is the Welsh backline would be even more dangerous if they got quick ball.

Gareth Davies looked like a much better option when I saw him play against Edinbugh last week. He would be my pick over phillips.

It isn't Phillips' service that is slow, it is his lack of distribution when he goes on the run.

The whole idea for him to snipe around the ruck is to gain meters and space, when he does that and aren't looking for the offload he might as well give it to Faletau to make a few yards and set a ruck up again.

His intentions are correct, but his focus on offloading isn't there.

If he breaks the defence and they are on the back foot, quick offloads can exploit the advantage, otherwise there is no benefit.

Phillips is fundimental to the way Wales are playing.

He ties in opposition defenders, in a particular the backrow which allows Wales massive 3/4 line to get space and one on one with defenders.

Hes arguably been Wales best player in recent times. He works really well with Priestland.

Yes there a better distributers and orthodox SH's around but what you loose on the swings you gain on the roundabouts with Phillips.

Benched might be too strong a reaction. Muzzled might be enough for him.

http://images.picturesdepot.com/photo/h/hannibal_lecter-7396.jpg

No, hes defensively sound, he keeps the opposition back row honest and hes excellant at securing the ball at rucktime (until he has 1 of his point and shout at the ref moments for nor apparent reason).

His passing can vary from average to excellant. He has the odd poor game but hes become a lot more consistent over the last year.

I dont understand the fascination with people claiming phillips is poor, i worry if people dont see why he's needed for wales. He's helping to bring priestland on no end, odd hospital pass thrown in to help toughen him up, obviously

I actually agree that Phillips is integral to the Welsh backline. Especially within 10 metres of the line where he tends to break away and score tries, he keeps the opposition ruck very busy which is great for the backline.

Hes an extra very mobile Flanker and was in great form over the WC.

I find Lloyd Williams frustrating and think he chooses the wrong options a lot of the time - I would like to see Webb given more of a chance along with Davies and Tavis when fit.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who rates Gareth Davies. He's no less physical than Mike Phillips - he's built like Scott Gibbs - but he gets the ball away quicker and he's lightning around the fringes.

Rhys Webb and Gareth Davies look to be the future...

Philips is too slow moving the ball away from the breakdown and opponents are aware of this now - so he keeps getting caught in possession.

I don't know who else Wales have but this is an obvious weak point

Twilight years? I thought Phillips was only 29?

Right now he's the best scrum half available to Wales. When that ceases to be the case, Gatland should pick someone else. Simple.

At the moment Phillips is first choice and rightly so. However, Toveys move to the Blues will pair him with Lloyd Williams and if they develop the kind of partnership that I think they will then we could see a changing of the guard at halfback for Wales.

Tovey is in an excellent position to put pressure on Priestland at 10 and if Williams is his club partner then I could easily see Spikey getting benched in favour of Lloyd. Then of course you have Biggar and Webb at The ospreys and despite my dislike for Biggar he has been in very good form the last couple of weeks. At the Scarlets you have Gareth Davies(who I really rate) and Priestland. Even the Dragons will have Steffan Morgan at 10. So all the regions will have young halfback combiations with all of them posessing the potential to make the Wales shirt their own.

I would be suprised to see Phillips as first choice in 2015.

I think at international level Biggar is a red herring. The solid club pro who will rack up points on a good day, nothing more, and not at the level Wales should aspire to at 10. A Welsh version of Dan Parks.

Priestland actually had a pretty mixed 6 Nations on an individual level. Very encouraging that despite that Wales still won the GS, but the young brigade must have been watching that and thinking that they wouldn't have to go far to top it. Whoever plays 10 will have a strong platform and plenty of ball, and plenty of big hard running targets outside of him, so it's a very good time to be given a chance.

Nah keep him going.

maestegmafia wrote:You are not talking nonsense but his delivery is not always poor. It is sometimes though.

I want to see the young guys get more game time, Williams, Davies, Webb and Knoyle will all be good candidates over the next few years. Goos to see them all push each other.

Rhodri Williams too, though a bit younger.

Mike's problem is not how quick his hands work but rather how quick his brain works. Not the brightest of lads and this is relected in the amount of time he takes to make decisions once set patterns break down. Not much we can do about that. He is better when acting to order or has no time to think and is forced to act instinctively. It is when he has to think about what to do next that he runs into trouble

There are occasions recently when Phillips has been the one who has actually moved Wales forward so lets get some context here

Since Peel there have been a good few small and nippy-type SH's tried out with the regions and occasionally by Wales. It's a risk that could work wonders if it pays off but the dangers it entails include isolation and turnovers. Also the SH's who try too hard to provide fast service have an annoying tendency to hurl wayward passes. We need pattern and cohesion going forward, not simply playing hot potato with the ball.

Phillips may not be a regular provider of quick ball but you won't find a SH who offers greater stability going forward. He's very difficult to turn over if he gets snagged (which doesn't often happen) and with the current back row is very efficient at protecting and recycling. He also offers that additional reserve of strength near the tryline as a carrier and around the park as a tackler. He also has a knack of knowing the right people to pass to off the right phases of play.

Phillips is very good at what he does in that he keeps back rows honest but he needs to realise when to take them on and when to the ball away.

I have always liked the idea of an opposite on the bench to Phillips and if he had stayed in Wales then I think Phiillips and Peel would have been the dream team as sucj and perfect foils for each other.

Unfortunately Phillips has no competition at present. Webb is not international class, young Brynmor is only in the squad because he is young Brynmor, Knoyle is injured, Gareth Davies is far too green and Peel is in Gatlands doghouse.

It looks like scrum half and tight head are Wales problem positions at present. Phillips has his faults but lets pray he does not get injured!

Well he is one of Wales' best players and our best scrum half on current form seeing as nobody is showing enough consistent form to oust him. So to a certain extent Martyr, you are talking nonsense.

The near future should see us having the following available to us:
9. Davies - 10. Priestland
9. Williams - 10. Tovey
9. Webb 10. Biggar
9...... - 10. (Steffan) Jones

Who says Regional rugby is dieing a slow death?

"I think Wales' backs and forwards would all benefit from quicker ball earlier on the game where they can attack it at even greater pace than they do now"

I totally agree with that comment. As an Englishman the Welsh backline scares the life out of me at times but thanks to Phillips they don't fire how they could.

I feel for Priestland sometimes as it's him that should be making the call but he more than often is a bit of a spare part as Phillips thinks it should be him making the calls and taking the ball up.

Phillips is a very good player but only a decent scrum half, Wales could be devestating with a quick service 9.

18 months - 2 seasons ago then I would have happily said that Wayne Evans should be in the Welsh squad but after injury his form has been very poor for us this season

It's nice though where we can finally say Wales have strength in depth in every position apart from TH, but hopefully this will be addressed with some of the youngsters that have been talked about at other regions.

We have depth but not enough that it is as good as New Zealands or Australias. Just looking at the ECC match tonight I was thinking if we could perhaps lure Lewis-Roberts back to this country that him and somebody like Mitchell on the bench would allow us to unleash hell upon our opponents; right after Adam and Gethin have spent 60 minutes giving them a hard time.