Phillips suspended from Wales Squad

Spoiler:

Mike Phillips has been suspended indefinitely from Wales squad duties with immediate effect.

The move comes after WalesOnline published the above pictures of Phillips being restrained by bouncers outside a Cardiff city centre McDonalds at 3am.

The 28-year-old, who completed a switch from the Ospreys to French side Bayonne earlier this week, has been told not to report to WRU headquarters at the National Centre of Excellence this Monday - the day his personal training regime is due to start – and has been barred from the squad until further notice.

In a statement released today, the Wales management team said it would take time to consider the circumstances surrounding the allegations about the player’s behaviour in public while on leave from the squad before it meets for pre-Rugby World Cup training.

The WRU said it would seek further details about the this week's incident while the suspension is in place.

WRU chief executive Roger Lewis said: “The player has been suspended due to a clear breach of the standards which we expect to be maintained by someone involved in one of our national squads.

“Discipline and acceptable behaviour are issues which run to the core values of the Welsh Rugby Union and we cannot tolerate any compromise of those standards.

“Mike Phillips is an exceptional player, but there is irrefutable evidence of a prima facie nature that he was engaged in behaviour which falls below the standards we set.

“It is vitally important that we send out a clear and unambiguous message to one and all concerning our views on matters of this sort.

“That message must be heard clearly by all players, coaches, administrators, volunteers, supporters and, of course, the parents and guardians of any child attracted to take part in the national sport of Wales.

“By taking decisive action now we are emphasising that this sort of incident is highly unusual in that the majority of people involved in Welsh rugby help us maintain the proud record we have for fair play and off the field courtesy.

“Our senior national squad players are highly visible because of the profile which accompanies the success of our national sport and it is made clear to them that they are the ambassadors we rely on to foster and sustain our image.

“An incredible amount of hard work is currently taking place as our players prepare for the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand and that effort must be recognised and supported by all involved.

“I am making my views public at this time because, as the nation anticipates our involvement in Rugby World Cup there is no room for any ambiguity in our reasoning.

“Rugby is part of the culture of our nation and we must do all in our power to ensure that the game remains a sport that everyone in Wales can be rightly proud of.”

Wales team manager Alan Phillips said: “We have suspended Mike Phillips on the clear evidence of a level of behaviour we regard as unacceptable.

“It is clear there has been a breach of our disciplinary standards.”

The suspension has been approved by Wales head coach Warren Gatland and agreed by the senior squad management team.

The WRU said it has not been alerted of any criminal action and the suspension is based on its own rules of behaviour.

A statement from the union said it would offer no further comment on the issue.

Cardiff Blues scrum-half Lloyd Williams has been called into the Wales pre-Rugby World Cup training squad and will report for duty on Monday.

Phillips made his debut for Wales in 2003 against Romania, and has since won 52 caps, with his most recent appearance coming against the Barbarians earlier this month.

manofgwent wrote:Again I'm not looking for dragons to be picked. I'm just looking for In form players to be selected.
Bradley's form has nit been good. Stephen jones barely plays anymore. One injury or another.
I'm not being one eyed and I'm not the only person on here that thinks Wayne evans deserves a call up. He had the better of rees recently and Williams cane on and didn't impose himself.
I'm not saying play dragons players, but how can you have 2 9's from one region and not one in form 9 who has played a lot of rugby this season.
On Tovey. He is quality. I think gatland prefers priestland, so I think he should have had more opportunities.
People like you make me laugh when you call me one eyed. I'm a dragons fan who watches all the regions. I want the best for the national team. I will stand up for my region as there are a he'll if a lot of good young welsh players there .

rugbydreamer wrote:The Ponty scrum half is young Lewis Jones. He looks a talent, got MotM for Ponty when they played in the Swalec final.

However we was released by the Blues academy November last year, not sure whether they'd pick him again or not.

http://www.ponty.net/jones-lewis