Head-to-head: Phillips v Du Preez
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:53
British and Irish Lions scrumhalf Mike Phillips can't wait to have one final crack at Fourie du Preez, in what is being termed the battle of the world game's two best scrumhalves, when the Lions face the Springboks in the third and final Test on Saturday.
The Springbok No.9 is 2-0 up on his Welsh rival at present, but Phillips isn't giving up on the chance to score some points against the man widely recognised as the game's top scrumhalf.
"It would be nice to end on a winning note and have one up on Fourie. He's a quality player and it has been great to match myself up against the best scrumhalf in the world - that's what it is all about," said Phillips.
"There is no reason why we can't win. We are all hurting from last week and it was devastating the way we lost.
"But we've got to get the pride back into the jersey. We have done tremendously well on this tour, and we've given it our lot, but we have got to make sure we are going home on that plane having won the last Test."
Phillips has played every minute of the first two Tests and scored a try in the 21-26 first Test defeat in Durban. But he freely admits that he and his Lions teammates were left shattered by Morné Steyn's last second penalty kick to win the second Test in Pretoria.
"It has been a really tough couple of days. The realisation of the opportunity we had and coming so close - it was devastating," admitted Phillips.
"But we've got another opportunity now and we have got to win the last Test. It's going to be very tough, but we've all gelled on this tour and we want to end it on a happy note.
"I've gained a lot of confidence and I've loved being a part of the Lions experience. It's something I never thought I would do and it has been great meeting the players from the other countries.
"We've lost the series, but you've got to take the positives out of it for next year to make yourself a better player."
With thanks to lionsrugby
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