Mike Phillips Suspended Indefinitely...

[Balla Boy]

...from Wales Squad...





http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-13810760
<H1 =story-er>Mike Phillips suspended from Wales rugby squad</H1>
<DIV =capti&#111;n>The suspension follows an early hours incident in Cardiff city centre </DIV>
<DIV ="story-feature related narrow">Continue reading the main story
<H2>Related Stories</H2>
<UL =related-links-list>
<LI><S&#079;NG>Williams replaces banned Phillips</S&#079;NG>
<LI><S&#079;NG>Phillips completes Bayonne move</S&#079;NG>
<LI><S&#079;NG>End to rugby star attack inquiry </S&#079;NG></LI>[/list]</DIV>
Scrum-half Mike Phillips has been suspended indefinitely from Wales squad duties after a late night incident in Cardiff.


The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) said he had been told not to report for training with the rest of the players on Monday.


It is seeking clarification about an incident outside a fast food restaurant in the early hours of Tuesday.


Police attended and said a man was taken away by officers but no arrests were made.


The WRU said while the player, aged 28, was on an agreed holiday period from pre-Rugby World Cup training it operated a strict code of conduct covering behaviour both on and off the field.


WRU group 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 ... 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.


"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."
<DIV ="story-feature narrow">Continue reading the main story
<H2 =quote>“Start Quote</H2>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
It is clear there has been a breach of our disciplinary standards”</BLOCKQUOTE>End Quote Alan Phillips Wales team manager </DIV>
The incident occurred outside a McDonald's restaurant in Queen Street.


Footage taken by bystanders shows Phillips being restrained by police before being led away in handcuffs to a police van.


South Wales Police say he was not arrested.


The player was recently released by the Ospreys regional rugby team after securing a move to French club Bayonne.


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


Wales team manager Alan Phillips said: "We have suspended Mike Phillips on

[Kingfisher234]

In a word - "idiot"

[Tobyglen]

[img]smileys/lol.gif[/img] These Welsh lads are gas men.

[tickettout]

The suspension won't count for much when they are announcing their squad for the rwc.


He's a class actwhenhe is playing well.

[Scrum 5]

Photos of the incident here:


http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wa...011/06/16/mike -phillips-pictured-in-scuffle-with-mcdonalds-bouncer-at-3am- 91466-28892546/

[munsterbouy]

Another enormous waste of talent.... what a joke

[beir bua]

Photos of the incident here:


http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wa...011/06/16/mike -phillips-pictured-in-scuffle-with-mcdonalds-bouncer-at-3am- 91466-28892546/

Pics don't show much wrong doing on his part.

[Paddy Whac]

Was Shaggy suspended when he pleaded guilty to assult a few years back?

[Red Hand Hero]

Photos of the incident here:


http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wa...011/06/16/mike -phillips-pictured-in-scuffle-with-mcdonalds-bouncer-at-3am- 91466-28892546/

Pics don't show much wrong doing on his part.

You'd think if he'd been so inclined he would have gave both those 'bouncers' a bit of a doing. I'd be inclined to think the door staff were only too keen to try and take a cut at a 'big time' rugby star...

[Balla Boy]

Photos of the incident here:


http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/06/16/mike -phillips-pictured-in-scuffle-with-mcdonalds-bouncer-at-3am- 91466-28892546/

Pics don't show much wrong doing on his part.

You'd think if he'd been so inclined he would have gave both those 'bouncers' a bit of a doing. I'd be inclined to think the door staff were only too keen to try and take a cut at a 'big time' rugby star...

Not necessarily. Most of them would be reasonably well schooled in the dark arts, I'd imagine. And being big and muscly won't necessarily help you when faced with that.


As for wanting to take a cut, my guess would be that when you're dealing with a large, beligerent drunk with form for brawling, you get in early.

[beir bua]

Photos of the incident here:


http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/06/16/mike -phillips-pictured-in-scuffle-with-mcdonalds-bouncer-at-3am- 91466-28892546/

Pics don't show much wrong doing on his part.

You'd think if he'd been so inclined he would have gave both those 'bouncers' a bit of a doing. I'd be inclined to think the door staff were only too keen to try and take a cut at a 'big time' rugby star...

Not necessarily. Most of them would be reasonably well schooled in the dark arts, I'd imagine. And being big and muscly won't necessarily help you when faced with that.


As for wanting to take a cut, my guess would be that when you're dealing with a large, beligerent drunk with form for brawling, you get in early.

That's probably what happened. It doesn't look too serious though. A few verbals, bouncers get pushy, cops come along.

[brightspark]

looks like a standard night out in cardiff to me

[Stuka]

I used to work on a few doors in Dublin (even Supermac's
on
O'Connell street... ) and once had to deal with a well
known
Dublin footballer who tried to throw his weight around. I'm
not
a big fella or a tough guy, but because he was quite drunk
it
was very easy to ground him and hold him until he calmed
down. Once he realized he looked a tit, he was let up, said
sorry and slunk off.

No big deal. We all have at some stage had a bit too much
on board and have acted the goat. I just hope he learns
from it.

[Loop]

Photos of the incident here:


<a href="http://www.wales&#111;nline.co.uk/news/wales-
<br / target="_blank">news/2011/06/16/mike-phillips-pictured-in-scuffle-with-
mcdonalds-bouncer-at-3am-91466-28892546/">
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-
news/2011/06/16/mike -phillips-pictured-in-scuffle-with-
mcdonalds-bouncer-at-3am- 91466-28892546/</a>

Pics don't show much wrong doing on his part.

You'd think if he'd been so inclined he would have
gave both those 'bouncers' a bit of a doing.* I'd be inclined
to think the door staff were only too keen to try and take a
cut at a 'big time' rugby star...

Given that there's a fair chance that he was pissed up, he
probably wasn't in a condition to give anybody a bit of a
doing.

But anyway ... what a goul.

What do Philips and Ronald McDonald have in common?

They are both clowns in big boots.

Coat![img]smileys/biggrin.gif[/img]

[de berries]

Photos of the incident here:


http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/06/16/mike -phillips-pictured-in-scuffle-with-mcdonalds-bouncer-at-3am- 91466-28892546/

Pics don't show much wrong doing on his part.

The Whale of a Bouncer jumping on Phillips could be Career Ending[img]smileys/wink.gif[/img]

[B.A.]

Is there any sportsman in Wales who isn't a gurrier?

[fredom1]

thug, desverve him right


Karama son

[Thomond78]

Is there any sportsman in Wales who isn't a gurrier?

Come on, that's daft. Look at AWJ, Roberts or the man who
increasingly resembles Father Dougal Plays Tighthead, Adam Jones; all
lovely blokes, by all accounts.

[Captain-Hero]

Clearly saying do you know who I am in the first picture.

[isola ciarrai]

Clearly saying do you know who I
am in the first picture.

As the late Jim Reeves once said - If you gotta tell 'em who
y'are, then you ain't!
Happy Summer, everyone - now, where do I stay for the
weekend of the Munster football final? Or maybe just travel
early on the day and stay over Sunday evening? C'mon the
Gooch - your year lad - you've carried the others long
enough, time for them to win one for you.

[AdolphusGrigson]

presumably he will be unsuspended for the world cup

[3Crowns3Stars]

His mouth gets him into trouble on and off the field.
He should have a tonguesectomy...

[Captain-Hero]

In fairness, we all get drunk, we all act the clown.


When you're well known that turns into an event for the papers.


Not the guys biggest fan but come on..

[AdolphusGrigson]

"Not the guys biggest fan but come on.."


Agree, what is amusing about this episode is that Gatland has madean issue of players discipline and keeping players in Wales andthey have a poor record in both.A bit of jumping up and down over this and then he's back for the world cup.


Gatland is an awful man for putting his foot in hisgob. Another example below.


http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbyna...-news/2011/06/ 19/wales-coach-warren-gatland-caught-up-in-controversy-over- james-hook-and-lee-byrne-s-switch-to-france-91466-28901516/# sitelife-commentsWidget-bottom

[Rooster]

Says a lot about McDonalds in Cardiff when you need bouncers on the doors, these feckin kids are getting rough these days when their lettuce has gone a bit limp[img]smileys/shock.gif[/img]

[Cowboy]

Theres bouncers on the door of Burger King in Limerick
every weekend night.

Tis a pity half the welsh team are tarred with the actions of
the other half.

Gethin Jenkins, Matthew Rees, Bradley Davies, Jonathan
Thomas, Stephen Jones, Jamie Roberts, Halfpenny etc all
seem like very normal rugby players from a distance. The
other half are a bunch of hyped up primadonna's. Its
amateur hour all the time with those chumps.

[Rooster]

Theres bouncers on the door of Burger King in Limerick

every weekend night.

Crap feeding in there as well then [img]smileys/lol.gif[/img]

[Dummy Dummy Pop]

Theres bouncers on the door of Burger
King in Limerick
every weekend night.

Tis a pity half the welsh team are tarred with the actions of
the other half.

Gethin Jenkins, Matthew Rees, Bradley Davies, Jonathan
Thomas, Stephen Jones, Jamie Roberts, Halfpenny etc all
seem like very normal rugby players from a distance. The
other half are a bunch of hyped up primadonna's. Its
amateur hour all the time with those chumps.

Oops. Another chump?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-13042358

and another?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-s...wales-12534540
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-s...wales-13604582





OO

[banjaxed]

MIKE PHILLIPS has returned to the Wales squad after issuing a public apology following his 3am altercation in Cardiff City Centre two weeks ago.


Phillips today admitted he felt "ashamed" of his actions after pictures emerged showing him being pinned to the ground by a McDonalds bouncer in the early hours of the morning.


The scrum-half said: “This is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to me in my career. I am ashamed to have let myself get into this kind of situation and I am determined to put things right.


“As a player I’m really passionate and never back down. I know I can’t allow that part of my character to come to the surface off the rugby pitch.


“I have realised I have an issue with the way in which I deal with, and have dealt with, the pressures of my current environment and have sought, and will continue to seek, help and advice in relation to that issue.


“I have formally and sincerely apologised to my teammates and the coaching staff in the Welsh Rugby Squad and would like to take this opportunity to do exactly the same to the Welsh rugby public and anyone else who has been offended by this or other episode.


“I am a professional rugby player and I give the game my all, but there have been times I have let myself down as well as my family, the fans and my teammates.


“The positive thing to come out of everything is that I now fully recognise that I need to deal with these pressures and I am taking every step to ensure that it is resolved.


“I deeply regret my behaviour, my exclusion from the squad took place in the glare of intense publicity and all I can hope for now is the privacy to concentrate totally on convincing the squad management I deserve to keep my place and the public’s understanding and support for what I’m trying to do.


“I am a proud Welshman and I remain determined to devote myself to being the best rugby player I can possibly be to gain success for Wales in the World Cup and future tournaments.


Wales Head Coach Warren Gatland, added: “Mike clearly breached the disciplinary code of conduct we have in place and was dealt with decisively and properly.


“We have taken into account all the relevant issues and Mike’s apology in taking the decision to reinstate him in the extended RWC squad.


“An important factor in allowing Mike back into the squad was his decision to actively seek help to resolve his behavioural issues.”


The WRU Chief Executive, Roger Lewis, added: “It was very important for us to make it absolutely clear that Welsh rugby will not tolerate inappropriate behaviour.


“The message is now abundantly clear that we represent certain standards which will be maintained at all times both on and off the field of play. The Welsh rugby public expect it and deserve it.”


A WRU statement said: "The player was informed that his conduct in Cardiff City Centre, earlier that week, had not adhered to the standards expected of a member of the Wales senior squad.


"Phillips accepted the view of the senior management team in full and gave an assurance that he understands the action taken to punish his behaviour and is taking active steps to ensure there is no repeat.


"The player addressed the Wales extended Rugby World Cup training squad players, explained his conduct and outlined his plans to ensure there is no repeat of the incident and apologised.


"Following the meetings and taking into account the duration of the 10-day suspension, Phillips will now be allowed to return to the squad and take part in pre-Rugby World Cup training from tomorrow, Tuesday 28th June.


"The senior squad management panel he met at their headquarters in the WRU National Centre of Excellence, consisted of Head Coach, Warren Gatland, Assistant Coach, Rob Howley, and National Squad Manager, Alan Phillips.


"Mike Phillips was not arrested and is not facing any criminal action in relation to the events which took place in Cardiff city centre.


"A substantial number