The Ospreys handed Ifan Phillips a new contract — then challenged Kevin Phillips’ son to join the fight to succeed Scott Baldwin as number one hooker at the region.
Wales international Baldwin has departed for Harlequins after a 10-year stint with his home region.
He leaves behind a contest for the No. 2 jersey at the Liberty Stadium, with Sam Parry and Scott Otten now senior hookers and Phillips and Dewi Lake bubbling under.
But after awarding Phillips a deal that will keep him in Swansea at least until 2021, head coach Allen Clarke has urged Phillips to step up and give Parry and Otten a run for the jersey.
Clarke said: “I'm delighted another young Welsh player of the calibre of Ifan, who came late into our system to progress through to the senior squad, has committed to the region.
"Not only is he a quality rugby player, he's developing as a leader with the character for the position of hooker and a deep hunger for success.
"I’m expecting him to continue to progress over the next two years and, in turn, challenge the more senior hookers in the squad, Sam Parry and Scott Otten."
His famously competitive and combative dad Kevin would have relished such an invitation.
Phillips junior has been part of the extended Ospreys squad for three years after impressing with his home club, Crymych, and in the Welsh Premiership for Neath RFC, while he won a Grand Slam with Wales Under-20s in 2016.
He is taking time to truly break through but the 23-year-old is quick around the field and rarely misses a tackle.
Like his father, who led Neath with such distinction and also skippered Wales, he also has notable leadership skills, with the Ospreys making him captain of their development team for the 2018-19 Celtic Cup campaign.
The Ospreys are hoping he will use the coming season to make a mark, and he is keen to push on, too.
He said: “I’m really happy to have signed another two years here. It’s a great club and it’s where I want to be.
“Captaining the ‘A’ team was great and a different experience. I really enjoyed it, and scoring three tries against the Scarlets (A) was definitely up there as one of the highlights of the season for me.
“Hopefully, I can kick on next year and play a bit more senior rugby. Allen Clarke was an international hooker, so it’s great for me to learn from him. We have really good competition in the hooker position, which is great for everyone involved as we’ll keep on pushing each other.”
