Gatland: Phillips must play it cool

Phillips was sin-binned during the first-half of last weekend's victory over Ireland for dropping a knee on Marcus Horan and Gatland revealed that indiscipline could have cost him his place.

Gatland explained: "I talked to Mike after the game. Discipline is one area we are really trying to work on and hopefully Mike learns from that. If the result had been different perhaps it could have cost him his place."

He added: "There was a thought process during the sin-binning whether to replace him and put Dwayne Peel on but we decided to give him an opportunity to make amends and I thought he responded greatly.

"I hope there has been a lesson in it because I have told Mike he can be the biggest, most physical, imposing scrum-half in world rugby.

"He thinks he already is - and he told me he is the best looking as well! There is no shortage of confidence in Mike!

"Apart from his sin-binning it was a very pleasing performance last week. His kicking game was great and you saw his physicality in the try-saving tackle against Shane Horgan.

"His first performance against England was great. I thought he dropped off against Scotland, he probably tried a bit too much and he needs to get the balance right.

"But sitting on the bench against Italy gave him a chance to reassess what we were looking for and he has responded really well."