“There’s been no impact on team connection. We all care about both players. As I said, it’s a really unfortunate incident, but I think we’re ready to move on,” Philip said.
“Miles obviously [will] spend a little bit of time away from the club now, but when he comes back, I’m sure we’ll be on a united front. Both players will learn from this and we’re happy to move forward. We’re super connected here at the Waratahs.”
Miles Amatosero was suspended for two trial matches.Credit: Steven Siewert
Asked if he would have a role in facilitating a reconciliation between Amatosero and Scott-Young before the season starts, Philip said: “I’ve spoken to them both … they’re more than happy to meet together and talk, to put this behind them. It was an unfortunate incident.
“We’re training at high intensity here, you know, [in] very hot weather sometimes as well. This is going to happen. It’s very unfortunate and I don’t think it will happen again, but, yeah, we want results here and that’s the kind of intensity we’ve been putting into the pre-season.
“I’m very confident they’re both going to put it behind them and it’s not going to have any effect on the team culture or connection.
“Speaking to the boys from last year, the difference between where we’re at now and where we were at this stage of the pre-season last year is chalk and cheese. So, yeah, we are pretty happy to put that [fight] to bed.”
Philip grew up as a Tahs supporter on Sydney’s northern beaches and later emerged at Sydney Uni and in the Waratahs academy, including as captain of the NSW under 20s.
But the captain will also be making his Super Rugby debut for NSW on February 13, after Philip was forced to move west and join the Western Force in 2015 to get a start. He later joined the Rebels in 2018, and then moved offshore in 2020, playing for Pau in France and then the Yokohama Canon Eagles in Japan.
He said he jumped at the chance to sign with NSW when McKellar called about a return.
“I’ve gone kind of full circle. I had to go to a lot of places over a decade to come back and be able to play here,” Philip said. “[Becoming captain] is probably the biggest moment in my career. I grew up supporting the Tahs, I am a New South Welshman.
“Me and Jake Gordon are really good friends, we played together through our juniors and been mates for a long time, and he’s obviously done a great job over the last five years. Obviously, there’s a lot of pressure and expectation that comes along with being a captain.
“To have him by my side during this as well, it’s going to be great … I’ll be leaning on him a lot throughout the season.”
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