Matt Philip on his debut

WHIRLWIND DEBUT FOR YOUNG LOCK MATT PHILIP

By Fraser Smith on Tue 5th July 16

Just one month ago young lock Matt Philip was plying his trade for Sydney University in the Shute Shield and now the 22-year-old has an Asteron Life Super Rugby cap next to his name after coming off the bench for his Western Force debut against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday night.

Philip was injected into the game in just the second minute when Rory Walton was sent to the blood bin and said running onto the field was an amazing feeling.

“It was unreal, dream come true really,” he said. “It came a bit earlier than I expected but I grabbed the opportunity and was pretty stoked with how it all went.”

“I was definitely a bit nervous when Rory (Walton) came off there and had a few butterflies but I think after that first lineout I settled down and got straight into it.”

The former Australian Schoolboys and Australian Under 20s representative was called into the Western Force squad in a training capacity after injuries hit the club’s second row stocks and had the no hesitation in making the trip west.

“I just got a call about two months ago asking if I would be interested in a training opportunity with the Force and I said definitely. I was playing for Sydney Uni in New South Wales at the time and I was never going to pass this opportunity up and obviously it’s gone pretty well so far getting my first Super Rugby cap so I’m stoked to be here.”

With two Buildcorp National Rugby Championship seasons under his belt with the Sydney Stars the 198cm, 106kg lock said he felt the difference once he arrived in the Super Rugby environment.

“It has been a bit of an adjustment, I think club rugby is quite physical and NRC is really fast and Super Rugby is a combination of the two and there are some really talented players with good skills so it’s just on another level.”

With Rory Walton and Steve Mafi set to depart the club at season’s end Philip has his sights firmly set showing what he can do in hope of earning a Western Force contract for the 2017 season.

“From here I just want to keep putting my name forward and keep training hard so that if the opportunity does come around again I can put my hand up and be ready to do my job for the team. And if I do that the goal is definitely to land a contract.”
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