PHOTOS:
Phil receives his cap from a current Maltese international ...
... And shares his delight with a former team mate
Phil back at his desk and getting on with his IT work

 
Phil Felice played his rugby locally for Haverfordwest and Llangwm, as well as in London during his days as a policeman there - but if you were to ask Phil about his proudest moments in the game then it is a fair bet that the first match to spring to mind would be his only international match when he played prop for Malta against Belgium.
 
Phil and his brother John, a very good flanker, are rightly proud of their Maltese heritage and they were called up for Malta's very first home international and although they lost against Belgium it was a terrific moment when they donned the red and white of Malta and ran out onto the pitch.
 
That was in November 2000 and since international rugby was in its infancy in Malta there were no caps available - but that has been put right now because 17 years on he went back to the island, with his daughter Jazz as support, to collect his cap at a special presentation evening.
 
John later played against Lithuania and Monaco and he was also entitled to the coveted cap - but was unable to attend so his brother and niece collected it for him.
 
"It was a real honour to play for the country of my father's birth and I always regretted the fact that there were no caps available," admitted Phil, "but receiving it now has been worth the wait and it will eventually take pride of place at home."
 
"I was one of 36 former players who received our caps, which were superbly presented in a box, and the whole event at the Hilton Hotel in St Julian's on Malta made the journey worthwhile.

 "I met up with a number of former team mates and we were able to chat about old times, as well as the things we have been up to in the 17 years since."
 
For Phil, of course, his rugby in Malta didn't end with his international appearance because he was also very involved with the coaching set-up there from the very outset, when he spent a year there helping set up their rugby association and coached an ‘Overseas XV’.
 
So now Phil is back at home with his cap and it is sure to take pride of place in the Felice home – and we are delighted that both Felice brothers now have their caps which mark them out as international rugby players!