Phillips out of Ospreys team to face Connacht

Wales scrum-half Mike Phillips will not start for The Ospreys against Connacht in the Magners League on Sunday at Liberty Stadium.

That is the surprising news from Swansea as he was mooted to play from the start so that he could make a late claim to be involved in the Six Nations.

Instead, Jamie Nutbrown will play at nine, inside the highly rated Dan Biggar, with internationals Nikki Walker and Sonny Parker in the backline.

THE OSPREYS (v Connacht):

15 Gareth Owen

14 Jonny Vaughton

13 Sonny Parker

12 Ashley Beck

11 Nikki Walker

10 Dan Biggar

9 Jamie Nutbrown

1 Ryan Bevington

2 Richard Hibbard

3 Craig Mitchell

4 Ian Gough (Capt)

5 Ian Evans

6 Tom Smith

7 Marty Holah

8 Filo Tiatia

Replacements:

16 Ed Shervington

17 Cai Griffiths

18 Andy Lloyd

19 Jerry Collins

20 Mike Phillips

21 Barry Davies

22 Tom Prydie