Justin Phillips (rugby union)


Justin David Phillips is a South African rugby union player for the in Super Rugby and in the Currie Cup and in the Rugby Challenge. His regular position is scrum-half.

Rugby career

Schoolboy rugby

Phillips was born in Pretoria and represented the at the Under-16 Grant Khomo Week in 2011 and at the Under-18 Craven Week in 2012 and 2013. In both 2012 and 2013, he was included in a South Africa Schools squad after the Craven Week tournament. In 2012, he started matches against France and England, while in 2013, he started against England and came on as a replacement against Wales.

Western Province

After high school, he moved to Cape Town to join the Western Province Rugby Institute. He started nine matches for the team during the 2014 Under-19 Provincial Championship, scoring four tries. His first try came in a 21–20 win over before scoring two tries in a 43–24 victory over the s in Potchefstroom. His fourth try came in their 29–22 victory over in the semi-finals to send them to the final, which they also won, beating Phillips' old side the Blue Bulls 33–26.
He made his first class debut during the 2015 Vodacom Cup, coming on as a replacement for Western Province in their 32–12 victory over a. Three more appearances off the bench followed during the play-offs, in victories over a in the quarter finals and the in the semi-finals, as well as in their 7–24 defeat to the in the final of the competition.
Phillips made twelve appearances for in the 2015 Under-21 Provincial Championship, scoring tries against,, and a brace in their return leg against the Blue Bulls in Cape Town to help his side finish top of the log. He was also in the starting line-up for their semi-final victory over the Golden Lions and their victory in the final over the Free State to win a youth title for the second year in a row.
He appeared for Western Province in the 2016 Currie Cup qualification series, scoring tries in matches against a, the and the.