For the second time in the show’s 10-year history, a professional rugby union player will be entering the Love Island villa. This time, it will be the 25-year-old former Munster player, Conor Phillips, from Limerick.
The 15s winger made his debut for the senior Munster side in a United Rugby Championship (URC) match against Zebre Parma in 2022, but was released at the end of the season.
In recent years, he has been turning out for Terenure College in Division One (D1) of the All Ireland League.
The sevens specialist has also spent much of his time on the international circuit, having recently competed at the Hong Kong and Singapore SVNS events.
A different type of series
Sadly, the funding for the Irish men’s sevens team was recently cut following changes to the World Rugby-owned SVNS series, which has left many stars now looking for work.
Swapping the pitch for the villa, Phillips appears keen to focus on other areas of his life for the time being, as he gears up to become the second Irish sevens player from Limerick to enter Love Island.
Fans of the show will remember Ireland sevens star Greg O’Shea, who was also from Limerick, winning the 2019 version alongside his then-partner Amber Rose Gill.
Ambition and dominance on this rugby player’s wishlist
Speaking about his ‘type-on-paper’, Phillips said: “Someone who is really sure of themselves, ambitious, a bit of a go-getter and good craic. I like dark eyes, and I don’t mind a dominant woman.”
He’s got his own boundaries, however, clarifying that his ideal match can’t be “too needy” or wanting to “do everything together,” as he likes to be independent.
His ideal match would be someone who can “do their own thing and then we come together and do our thing.”
Phillips admits that he’s not always been the easiest person to be around, however. “I don’t like to answer to anyone else,” he admitted. “I like to do my own thing. It’s something I’m working on for a relationship. Hopefully I’ve improved!”
A last-minute replacement for the absent, Kyle Ashman, Phillips is keen to show his “class clown” personality.
“Being in big teams and groups all the time, I’m always mixing things up, stirring the pot,” he said.
“I ask girls if they want to go halves on a baby. It doesn’t work, but it gets them laughing. It’s an ice-breaker, not a serious question, of course!”
When does Love Island Season 12 start?
Love Island UK Season 12 premieres on Monday, June 9, at 9 p.m. on ITV2 and streams on ITVX.
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/former-munster-player-swaps-the-pitch-for-the-villa-as-he-heads-to-love-island
