Around the Touchline Feature:

 
 
A visit to The Moors to watch Fishguard and Goodwick play rugby is usually enhanced by the chance to not only watch The Seagulls play their attractive brand of rugby but to bump into Alan Phillips for a chat, often after hearing his deep chuckle somewhere along the touchline or behind the posts at the sea end of the ground.
 
Big Al played as a powerful prop in his younger days at The Moors - and also had a number of successful seasons with Narberth where he answered the doubters who felt the step up in standards would be too much for him by gaining a regular place with The Otters and had a season as captain, as well as popping over to New Zealand for one campaign - but more of that later.
 

Started rugby in school and played through the age groups

 
He started out his rugby at the old Fishguard Secondary School under the guidance of Mr Wayne Harries, playing occasionally as a hooker or second row but mainly being one of those rare rugby beings who could play at either loose or tight-head prop.
 
Alan represented Pembrokeshire through the age groups alongside players of the calibre of school pals Huw and Ross Evans, Jonathan ‘JJ’ Jones, Craig Moir and Dean Hadley (Milford Haven) - and at youth level some of the same players were involved as well as Romeo Colella, Chris Thomas (Haverfordwest) and Rob Phillips (Whitland).



 

Seconds’ debut and a short stint with Tenby

 
“At 17 I made my debut for the seconds and then made it into the first team with some of the youth players in a team led by Peter ‘Rocket’ Evans, who did a great job with the youngsters in a KO Cup debut against Ralph Wonnacott, where I certainly learned a lot pretty quickly as I felt sore for days afterwards following some rugged scrummaging!
 
“At 21 I had a season with Tenby United in a pack that oozed quality through the likes of Dai Balkwill, Johnny Richards; Colwyn Harts, Mike Evans, Eddie Lewis and Dean Hadley, with equal quality in the backs from Dean Bowen, Dom Subbiani, Dean Bowen, Chris Evans, Neil Truman and Steve Hartland - and again I learned so much from the coaching.




 

KO Cup Final with The Seagulls and off to Narberth . . .

 
“In 1996 I went back to Fishguard and we reached the KO Cup Final against Tenby at Pembroke Dock  and we were in with a shout but lost out on fitness in the last 20 minutes.
 
“In 1999 Gareth Charles, an old pal of mine, persuaded me to try my luck at Narberth, where he was playing, and I was made welcome by coaches Richard ‘Stag’ Jones, Kenny Davies and Martin James, who were the best trio I played under as they encouraged me to raise my fitness levels and I had eight great years there.
 

. . . And then New Zealand

 
“There was still one more piece in my rugby-playing jigsaw which came in 2006 and I travelled out to play in New Zealand for Hauraki North (where my Fishguard mate Randall Williams had already played and the home of Miles McDuff, who came from there to play at Fishguard and was brilliant). Randall and I went back to Hauraki North last year to take part in a charity match to help Miles’ family and 10 minutes was quite enough for me now!
 
‘I also moved up a level as I played for Thames Valley against Bay of Plenty, and this ranks amongst my main highlights alongside helping Narberth gain promotion to division two of Welsh Rugby with players like Alan ‘Santa’ Reynolds, Simon Davies, Chris MacDonald, Andrew Bowen and Steve Hartland.
 

Great memories of a long career

 
‘Other top memories include captaining the team for half a of the 2004/5 season when Simon Daniel was out injured and elected for the next season to be skipper - and playing for Pembrokeshire on at least 15 occasions.
 
“I also played for Crawshays XV against Cambridge University in Cambridge and when Fishguard celebrated their centenary season I was also chosen to captain the Pembrokeshire County team that played them.
 
“Then in 2012, when I was helping out when needed,  I snapped my Achilles tendon in training the week before the KO Cup semi-final and had to step down but was involved with the team the next season when we reached the Welsh Cup final at the Principality Stadium but sadly lost to Wattstown.
 
“When I finished playing I helped Jonathan ‘JJ’ Jones coach the team and then I had a great ten years coaching the youth teams with him, including winning the league twice, but there weren’t enough players this year so that finished.”
 

A slogger at Dinas Cricket Club

 
Outside of his rugby, Alan also played cricket for Dinas in his younger days as a big-hitting middle-order batsman who belted a few 50s and once smashed 40 in 11 balls against Cardigan when they were playing at The Grange.

“It was a hell of a team that included Wayne, Andrew and Adrian Harries; Gareth, Huw and Alun Evans, Nigel Morgan, Dai Morris and Wayne ‘Biffer’ Griffiths, whose father Viv was umpire.
 
“We moved up through the divisions but with some of the players moving to other areas to play we eventually dropped out of the league, which was very sad.
 

Golf and long-boat rowing too!

 
“I also played golf at Newport (Pembs) and, like in cricket, could hit the ball many a mile as I reduced my handicap to 20 but still had plenty of walking to do as my directional play needed plenty of polish! But I couldn’t devote enough time to make any more headway so it frizzled out.
 
“I also tried Longboat Rowing with the old ‘Sailor’s Return’ pub alongside Romeo Colella, Barry James, Mark Bean and Dai Tanhill - and don’t mind admitting that it was b****y hard work, but we had a great team spirit so I put up with the blisters on my hands and backside!”
 
Back on the rugby front, Alan is enjoying a rest from rugby where he is still on The Seagulls’ management committee but is enjoying a quiet time in the game - but there are already plans to make a coaching comeback next season where he and old friend Randall Williams are going to take this season’s under 16’s into youth rugby.
 
They are sure to do a good job and he will still be watching the first team so I can enjoy a chat and a chuckle whenever we bump into each other at The Moors rugby pitch!