Wales rugby star Mike Phillips: 'I want a serious relationship and kids like ...

Wales scrum-half Mike Phillips has revealed he is keen to ditch his bachelor lifestyle and settle down.

The 77-cap international and veteran of two British Lions tours will turn 31 in August.

He says the growing families of his siblings has made him realise he would like a long-term relationship and children for himself.

His brothers have both got children – Robert has nine-year-old twins and Mark has two younger children with a third due later this year.

While Phillips is happy being an uncle, he has now revealed eventually he wants a family of his own too.

He said: “I’m 31 in August and while I sometimes feel as if I’m 22 and have only just started playing rugby, another part of me is a lot more mature and I want other things in life. I want a serious relationship and kids.

“My brother’s having another kid and it hit me that it’d be nice to have kids and for them to watch me play rugby for Wales, but I think that chance is gone now.

“I look up to my family; my parents are still married and had three kids, and my two brothers are married with kids.

“That’s the foundation I’ve grown up with and I’m very lucky to have that. I was brought up in the right way.

“As much as I enjoy rugby and have done lots of things through rugby, good values are what are so important to me.”

Mike Phillips pictured with singer Duffy in 2011

 

Phillips, who has become a patron for the Follow Your Dreams charity and is holding kids’ academies in France this summer, stressed he has become a more mature character over the years.

During the recent Lions tour, prior to the series-clinching 41-16 win over Australia at the beginning of the month, Phillips made a conscious decision not to go out drinking on the tour.

Instead he was pictured having fun on trips out to Sydney Harbour Bridge with the likes of Ben Youngs, Manu Tuilagi, Tom Croft and Geoff Parling, on the beach and at Australia Zoo with many of his Wales teammates in Queensland.

In 2011, Phillips hit the headlines after a 3am incident outside a McDonald’s in Cardiff.

He said: “I think I’ve matured. I’ve not been out at all. I don’t go out that often anyway, it’s just when I have done incidents that happen that are nothing get blown up.”

Carmarthenshire-born Phillips has also benefited from expanding his cultural horizons recently – after moving to France where he is entering the final year of his contract with Bayonne.

He will be joined by the likes of Dan Lydiate and Jamie Roberts across the English channel next year.

And he would be open to staying in the country, although playing for Wales is a priority with the 2015 Rugby World Cup around the corner.

“I love the club; it’s pretty special and French rugby is unique,” Phillips said in an interview with Rugby World.

“The fans are amazing – there’ll be 16,000 for every home game – and it’s a beautiful part of the world.

“There aren’t many better places to play rugby and make a living; I live by the beach and I’m very lucky.”

His proximity to the water means Phillips is going to start surfing – after making friends with owners of the local surf shop.

Meanwhile he said he is continuing to improve his French and try his hand at cooking.

“I’m the complete package,” he added.

Wales rugby star Mike Phillips: "I want a serious relationship and kids like ...