Phil's
lifelong passion for the game was kindled at the age of five when he remembers
watching Redruth play. His father Denzil had played at hooker for Camborne, and
it was the position that Phil also took up.
Attending Redruth Grammar School,
he played for the 'Reds' and also had England schoolboy trials. Aged just 19,
one of his early senior rugby memories was playing for Redruth against the Pirates
in the 1976 Cornwall KO Cup Final played at Camborne.
It was a memorable
occasion played in front of 8,000 supporters, with the Pirates winning an enthralling
contest 4-3. Still a 'Colt' at that time, Phil relished the front-row duel, him
propped by Terry Pryor and John Treglown, with them in opposition against British
Lion 'Stack' Stevens, Chris Thomas and Brian Michael.
Besides playing for
Redruth, Phil also had spells playing for Exeter and Devon & Cornwall Police,
and he also played both for the Devon and Cornwall senior teams.
Boots hung
up as a player, and having always had an interest in technical aspects of the
game, it was no surprise that it was not long before Phil's attention concentrated
on coaching, him also appreciating along the way help given him by such as Terry
Pryor, 'Chalkie' White, John Lockyer and Peter Johnson.
Highlights during
his coaching career have been aplenty, with there understandable joy when he guided
Cornwall to a 24-15 points victory against Gloucestershire in the County Championship
Final played at Twickenham in 1999. It certainly made up for a loss against Cheshire
just a year earlier.
On the club coaching scene, Phil's record of achievement
is remarkable, him having coached Truro to four promotions and Mounts Bay to three,
and all in just a period of 8 seasons.
The last 16 years of Phil's time
in the police force was spent working for the Police Dogs Section, and in his
last six years he was a specialist dog handler dealing with drug crime in the
Cornwall and Devon area.
Nowadays living at Mousehole, near Penzance, Phil
and his wife Gail have two children, Alexandra and Zara.
