Phillips hopes Wales heroics will win over Ospreys

Most players go through that process in reverse — trotting out the wellworn line about focusing on their club and putting country to the back of their minds — but after scoring the winning try against England, Phillips has kept the No 9 shirt despite Dwayne Peel's return to fitness.

Now he just has to oust former All Black Justin Marshall as first choice at the Ospreys, preferably before their Heineken Cup quarter-final against Saracens in April.

So Phillips, 25, says he may as well focus solely on the RBS Six Nations : 'If you're good enough to get into the Wales team, why bother playing for the regions?'

Before Ospreys head coach Lyn Jones chokes on his cornflakes, it should be said Phillips was in mischievous mood.

However, he is clearly frustrated by his lack of starting appearances in the Magners League and in Europe.

He added: 'That's just the way it has gone this year — it has been a bit strange. When I have played I've been happy with my performances but obviously Justin is there and he's a good player.'

Phillips is not afraid to suggest he deserves greater recognition.

The last time his sense of injustice bubbled to the surface was during the World Cup, when a sensational second-half performance in the demolition of Japan was not enough to keep him in the team.

So the perennial understudy to Peel — Grand Slam-winner and Test Lion — is delighted to be operating on a level playing field under Warren Gatland and his lieutenants Shaun Edwards and Rob Howley.

'I've got a fresh start here,' said Phillips. 'I think the last coaches were always right behind Dwayne, but the new coaches seem to be open-minded.

'I feel much more part of the squad now and that has given me a lot more confidence.

'I'm pleased with how I went last week but I wouldn't say it was my best game for Wales. I think I've been playing really well for the last couple of years.'

Asked how he was able to charge down Iain Balshaw's kick and recover in time to score in the corner at Twickenham, he cannot help slipping back into comedy mode: 'Fitness.

'I'm the fittest in the squad, see! I suppose my height helps — Dwayne wouldn't have got there.'

Phillips recalls the dread of waiting for the video referee to confirm that the try should stand.

'I was certain as soon as I put it down, but when the ball bounced up and the ref asked for the replay, I was fearing the worst, so I didn't really celebrate. It is definitely the most important one I've ever scored.'

Chris Paterson will become Scotland's most capped back on Saturday when he starts Test No 83 at full back, having been recalled to the side to face Wales at the Millennium Stadium in place of the injured Rory Lamont.

Despite losing 27-6 to France at Murrayfield on Sunday, head coach Hadden resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes, insisting it was too early to make radical selections.

In addition to promoting Paterson from the bench, Hadden also brings Kelly Brown in for Dave Callam at No 8.

Wing Vincent Clerc has been dropped by France for the game against Ireland in Paris despite scoring two tries against Scotland.

He will be replaced by the experienced Aurelien Rougerie in one of six changes as coach Marc Lievremont experiments.

SCOTLAND: Paterson; Walker, De Luca, Henderson, Webster; Parks, Blair; Jacobsen, Ford, Murray, Hines, Hamilton, White, Brown, Barclay. Substitutes: Thomson, Kerr, MacLeod, Hogg, Cusiter, Morrison, Southwell.

FRANCE: Heymans; Rougerie, Marty, Traille, Malzieu; Skrela, Elissalde; Mas, Szarzewski, Faure, Mela, Nallet, Ouedraogo, Dusautoir, Bonnaire. Substitutes: Servat, Brugnaut, Jacquet, Picamoles, Parra, Trinh-Duc, Clerc.