Caerphilly dedicate their big day in final to ‘Figgis’

WHEN the players, officials and supporters of Caerphilly RFC arrive at the Principality Stadium for their big day this weekend, they will have one man on their minds.

It’s just under a year since the club’s former second row Ian Phillips passed away at the tragically young age of 44.

Known throughout the game as ‘Figgis,’ he was a hugely-popular figure and served as an inspiration with the way he battled so bravely after being diagnosed with a brain tumour.

He raised thousands of pounds for brain illness charity Braintrust and campaigned tirelessly about the potential dangers of mobile phones, blaming his cancer on spending up to six hours a day on the phone.

When he finally lost his fight last May, it hit everyone at the club hard and he remains very much in their thoughts as they go into Sunday’s WRU Bowl final against Amman United.

The players have had IP4 on their jerseys all season and their warm-up tops will bear the words ‘Do It For Fig’ at the stadium this weekend.

To realise how much Phillips meant to people at the Division Three club, you only have to listen to the words of head coach Brett Davey.

“My sole reason for coming back to Caerphilly was to do something in memory of Ian,” said the former Wales A full-back.

“Fig was one of the most inspiring people I have met. When doctors told him he had a terminal illness, he got more out of life than anyone I knew.

“He was a great man with such a warmth to his personality that it was infectious.

“After my own mother passed away, I was quite happy to never coach again, but catching up with him it made me reassess my own personal demons.

“Caerphilly’s director of rugby, Chris Ferris, persuaded me to help out and after Ian’s funeral I thought I would put my heart and soul into it in his memory. Sunday will be dedicated to him win, lose or draw.”

Chairman Alex James echoes Davey’s word, explaining how Phillips’ memory has galvanised everyone at the club.

“A lot of us who work behind the scenes are all about the same age and played with him,” he said.

“He was a gentle giant of the game and a local boy who came through the ranks at every level with the club and the final is for him.

“Our jersey for this season has got IP4 on it in recognition of his position in the second row.

“I presented the jerseys before the first home game and I think it hit home to a lot of people what this meant. It has galvanised the team and has certainly galvanised a lot of people off the field.

“For the final, we have got ‘Do It For Fig’ on our warm-up tops.

“It’s nearly a year since he sadly passed away and hopefully that might inspire us this weekend. “It will be a pretty emotional day.” It will be a landmark occasion for the club as a whole, as they return to the big time after a challenging decade during which they slipped down the leagues, having been in the top flight prior to regionalisation.

“It’s been tough,” admitted James. “We were on a bit of a rocky slope about 10 years ago.

“A fair amount of change has happened since we were last at the stadium in the Welsh Cup final against Neath in 2004.

“That was our last big day in the sun and sadly the start of a downward spiral wasn’t far away.

“It got to a stage where we were basically spending money we didn’t have. There were also a few issues off the field, but those have now been resolved.

“We have got a hardcore of Caerphilly people back involved, with talent coming through from the juniors and the youth and there’s a good atmosphere and a buzz around the town.

“We have now got a group of enthusiastic people on and off the field. There are better structures in place and the coaching is a lot better.

“We are back on the big stage with a side full of home-grown talent. It’s going to be a special day.”

Caerphilly currently lie second in Division Three East A, with a decent chance of promotion, given they have games in hand, while they are also through to the semi-final of the Silver Bowl, as well as the final of the WRU Bowl.

And their ambition is illustrated by the fact they will be staging the endof-season Dragons v Cardiff Blues Pro12 clash at the Constructaquote Stadium, formerly known as Virginia Park, where capacity will be up to around 6,000, with the installation of a temporary stand and corporate marquee. IT’S akin to an early 1980s boxer facing Marvin Hagler on one weekend and Roberto Duran the next.

Let no-one tell you professional rugby players have it easy.

Nicky Smith turns up for his media interviews with a swelling around one eye and cuts around the other.

Over the past two weekends, he has propped against the best two scrummaging tight-heads in Europe, maybe even in the world.

First there was Rabah Slimani, of Stade Francais, a chap who is not only terrifically strong but also an outstanding set-piece technician. He could scrummage all night against different loose-heads and not take a backward step throughout the entire experience.

Six days later, Smith found himself pushing and shoving against the Irishman whose team-mates have nicknamed him ‘Rikishi,’ after a Samoan wrestler. That man, Tadhg Furlong, is expected to anchor the Lions scrum in the Tests in New Zealand this summer. So how has it been for you, Nicky? “I’ve learned a lot, not just from the past fortnight but from the whole season,” said Smith (pictured).

“It didn’t go well in the tight against Stade Francais. We knew they were were strong but we didn’t perform.

“Slimani is good. But it was still disappointing we couldn’t get more out of the scrums than we did. It goes like that sometimes.

“Hopefully, if we come across him again it will be more of a battle. “It went better against Leinster. “The boys fronted up and, aside from the odd creak, we were solid. We were pleased with the way it went as a pack.”

Smith can hardly be blamed if he feels he has had quite enough of Slimani for an entire lifetime, with the Osprey part of the pack shoved backwards when the Stade man returned to the field under controversial circumstances in the FranceWales Six Nations match in Paris last month.

Slimani had earlier caused problems for Rob Evans in a match that featured 20 minutes of over-time. “It was a mad game,” said Smith. “I spent only a few minutes on the pitch but it was a crazy experience.”

The season has been one of mixed fortunes for the 23-year-old.

For the Ospreys he has largely flourished; for Wales he spent much time on the bench after starting the first game of the Six Nations.

“I would have liked more gametime in the national set-up,” said Smith.

“But it was the first time for me to be involved in an autumn series and a Six Nations, so in that sense it’s been good.

“I think I’m a better player than I was a year ago.

“I’m a bit more experienced, I can make better decisions and I’m fitter. “I’ve tried to develop my game. “A prop has his basic job, but everyone is getting fitter and stronger and so it’s about trying to offer a bit more.

“I’ve looked to do that while understanding that the core principles of scrummaging, hitting rucks and line-out lifting are key, but I know I still have a lot to learn.”

This weekend, Smith is set to line up against Cardiff Blues in the opening Judgement Day encounter at the Principality Stadium.

The match is one the Ospreys need to win after two consecutive Guiness Pro12 defeats. Another setback would leave their play-off hopes under serious threat with Ulster (home) and the Scarlets (away) to face in the final rounds of the regular campaign.

“We are expecting a hard game,” said Smith.

“They have signed a few new boys who are lively and they will be looking to pressure us in the tight five. “We just have to react. “But if we play to our potential we always think we can do well.”

Smith could face Gethin Jenkins, someone he looked up to as a youngster.

“He’s a tremendous player, arguably Wales’s best loose-head, and it would be great to go against him,” he added.

“That said, we have to look beyond individual match-ups and assesss the bigger picture.

“It’s not about individual players. It’s about winning.”