Drunk Phillips to face the music
Wales and British and Irish Lions scrumhalf Mike Phillips faces a heavy punishment from his Top 14 side Bayonne after turning up at training drunk.
The 31-year-old – who has been involved in several alcohol-fuelled incidents throughout his career – turned up inebriated with two New Zealand teammates Dwayne Haare and Stephen Brett for training on October 11, the day after the 37-6 thrashing of fellow French side Grenoble in the European Challenge.
Phillips, who along with Haare was not included in the squad for the 10-26 defeat in the European Challenge game against Wasps last Thursday, has already been in trouble with the club after he was punished for an incident in September 2012.
The trio have been summoned to appear on Tuesday while the club have announced that all training will be held behind closed doors this week as they prepare to host Montpellier on Friday in a match they desperately need to win.
Bayonne are presently second from bottom, with just three wins from nine matches, while Montpellier are second, trailing Toulon only on points difference.
Phillips, with 77 caps, is the most capped scrumhalf in Welsh history and has been on two Lions tours. He had to be hospitalised in 2008 after an incident outside a nightclub in Cardiff and was suspended from the 2011 Welsh World Cup squad when he was involved in a fight with a nightclub bouncer also in Cardiff.
AFP
