Super-confident Wales scrum half Mike Phillips may miss the Rugby World Cup after being suspended indefinitely for a row with a bouncer outside McDonalds.
Phillips, who recently signed for French side Bayonne, is alleged to have been involved in a late-night scuffle with a McDonalds bouncer in Cardiff city centre and although the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) have not been alerted of any criminal behavior, it was deemed bad enough to get Phillips turfed out of the squad.
The row seems to have originated after bouncers refused Phillips entry to the ‘restaurant’ at 3am in the morning.
Although the WRU didn’t over elaborate on the incident, these pictures give a greater insight into what happened on the night.
An eyewitness said of the scuffle: “He was not allowed into McDonald’s and was having an argument with the bouncers.”
The argument developed into a scuffle and one of the bouncers was forced to sit on 6ft 3in, 16 stone Phillips until the police arrived.
“They put him in the back of the van and drove off,” the eyewitness added.
“There were quite a few people there watching. It was definitely Phillips.”
A statement from the WRU read: “The Wales management team will take time to consider circumstances surrounding recent allegations about the player’s behaviour in public whilst on an agreed holiday period from pre-Rugby World Cup training.
“Phillips has been told not to report to WRU headquarters at the National Centre of Excellence this Monday – the pre-ordained start date of his personal training regime – and will remain outside of the squad until further notice.”
Chief executive Roger Lewis added: “Mike Phillips is an exceptional player, but there is irrefutable evidence of a prima facae 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.”
Wales manager Alan Phillips also weighed in with his two cents on the matter and 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.”
Couldn’t get a burger at 3am after a night on the lash Mike? We feel your pain.
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