Mike Phillips, Wales’s most capped scrum-half, says he has no regrets about his social media posts criticising Warren Gatland but believes he should remain in post until the Six Nations.
The 42-year-old says he was speaking from the heart in the aftermath of Wales’s first home loss to Fiji and his outburst came from a passion in wanting his country to succeed.
He called for Gatland to be “kicked out” and was one of a number of ex-players, including Welsh Rugby Union independent board member Jamie Roberts and former Wales fly-half Dan Biggar, to speak out against their former coach after the Pacific Islanders’ 24-19 victory.
The Wales coach, 61, is fighting for his survival after only six wins from 24 games since returning to the job in December 2022 – Saturday’s 12-45 loss against the Springboks marked the team’s 12th consecutive loss. Gatland’s fate is expected to be known within days after a WRU review of the autumn campaign.
Phillips, who earned 94 caps for Wales and was Gatland’s top scrum-half choice for both national team and the British and Irish Lions, said it was important to share an alternative point of view.
He said: “I think Warren knows me better than most. I’m very emotional and I played rugby in an emotional way. I played it all on that. It is what it is. I care, we care for the game for Wales. I think everyone is emotional in Wales, it’s what makes Wales a great place. People are passionate about Welsh rugby and want success.
“I think if you actually know me, there was no malice in that [post], it’s from a good heart and we want everyone to be successful.”
When asked if he regretted sharing the post on X, he said: “No, because I haven’t deleted it.
“I’m an emotional person, I’m not perfect by any means, everyone knows that. I care about the game and what’s best for the game.”
When I see this guy talking about family makes me cringe. Did he speak to me at the end of my career, did he f! I won for this guy.
This bloke is only out for himself, and it kills me to see all this bullshit praise he’s getting. He deserves to be kicked out, like he did to so…— Mike Phillips (@mikephillips009) November 11, 2024
He said continuity now was key for Wales with preparations for the Six Nations ahead.
“Warren has done a great job. I think we do need to look forward, nothing against him, he was here for such a long time I think sometimes it’s good to have a different viewpoint on rugby and you know I think getting rid of him now would probably be the wrong thing,” he said.
“We should really plan and get the next group of coaches, whoever the best fit is who is out there and is hungry and perhaps wants to improve Wales that’s what we need to do.
“I definitely think he needs to stay until the end of the Six Nations because it’s too short a time to get the next person in really and planning to get the very best fit for Wales.”
Gatland responded to Phillips’s social media comments by claiming he was “probably one of the best to pull on the Welsh jersey”, but added “probably some of the things that have happened to him have been a little bit sad”.
Phillips said he does not know what Gatland meant. “I don’t know what sad things are,” he said. “There are many sad things that have happened to me. Losing the Lions series is sad, losing in the World Cup semi-finals is sad.
“I don’t know what he is referring to there. We all go through good times and tough times, and I think I’m lucky I was with Wales all those years and they were great times, they were emotional times, there were ups and downs. I’m very lucky and I’m proud of what I achieved in the Welsh jersey.”
He added: “We had a great relationship. I could be myself. He played a massive part in my career, backed me 100 per cent and I backed him as well. I’ve got nothing but respect for Warren. I just feel that everyone has their time in the sun. Should I be playing for Wales, no, that’s just the way it goes.”
Phillips said Gatland and the coaching team extracted the best of him during his time wearing the Welsh jersey after his career got underway with the Scarlets, before starring for the Cardiff Blues and the Ospreys, as well as French sides Bayonne and Racing 92.
“They used to try and wind me up a lot. They felt an angry Mike is a good Mike in terms of the game,” Phillips said of Gatland’s techniques.
“The first game against England and he sat next to me and said you could be great one day and I said I’m already world class. He loved that. I played on that as well.
“Like I say I was good for him, he was good for me.”
Gatland’s first 12-year stint in charge saw Wales compete in two World Cups, win three Grand Slams and celebrate a 14-match unbeaten run, which saw the side briefly propelled to No 1 in the world rankings during 2019.
Phillips said Wales should have built on their success at the time in a bid to avoid the problems they are facing today.
“The problems are the grass-roots game, 20-odd teams last week fielded sides,” he said. “Then we have got the academy system where we are stopping boys from playing at 16, 17 and 18. Then the regions under 20s first have not been competing for 10 years, then you have got the regions who are failing. It’s so much that is going on that needs to be rectified.
“Perhaps when we were flying high that’s when we should have had the best business decisions possible for Wales but we didn’t. That is why we are where we are today. So now we are feeling the pinch.”
‘Women need to be treated like professionals as well’
The issues around Welsh rugby have magnified with the row over the women’s game facing fresh allegations of sexism and inequality as revealed in Telegraph Sport that external players were threatened with consequences if they did not agree to the WRU’s terms, including being withdrawn from major tournaments, during contract negotiations.
Professional contracts were issued for the first time at the start of 2022, with Wales reaching third in both the 2022 and 2023 Women’s Six Nations.
Dubai-based Phillips, who is now a business development director at Benchmark Recruitment, said it was good that women were able to aspire to pulling on the Welsh shirt but was critical of the contracts row.
“I love the women’s game. I think it’s amazing to see the growth of it,” he said. “I think it’s such an inspiring thing for young girls to see full crowds at their matches and we need that and obviously they need to be treated like professionals as well. To tell them they have to sign a contract in three hours is ridiculous. You should be inspired to play rugby for Wales.”
‘Red cards cost you matches – 2011 could have been different’
His competitive spirit has not left him and he said had the 20-minute red card rule been in place when Sam Warburton was sent off in Wales’s World Cup 2011 semi-final 19 minutes into the clash against France the outcome could have been different.
“I don’t want to see any cards to be honest, that’s what we want in rugby,” Phillips said. “It costs a lot as in the World Cup semi-finals when we had a red card and I don’t think it was [Warburton’s] fault.
“I don’t think my dreams and aspirations should be changed by one little decision or little mistake. That shouldn’t kill your dreams or kill your opportunities to be successful in your life.”
He added: “I’ve watched games where I see a red card where I turn it off and if I turn the TV off my son doesn’t watch it.”
