South African rugby legend Fourie du Preez has named Welsh icon Mike Phillips as his toughest opponent.
The pair played against each other seven times at the top level but first crossed paths during the 2009 Lions Test series against the Springboks.
Phillips, who was entering his best years as a top level scrum-half, started all three Tests in the dramatic series, opposite the diminutive but tricky du Preez.
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The 76-cap Springbok was regarded of one of the best scrum-halves of his generation, winning three Super Rugby titles, two Tri Nations and a Rugby World Cup in 2007.
And he ranks Phillips, who won three Six Nations titles and went on two Lions tours, as his toughest opponent.
Speaking on the Use It or Lose It Show, du Preez said: "As a nine you never really play one-on-one but obviously Mike Phillips was quite tough.
"A little bit irritating - don't tell Bakkies [Botha] - but yeah he was quite tough."
Du Preez's quip regarding Bakkie Botha stems from that infamous '09 Lions series, which the Springboks won 2-1.
During the series, Phillips was involved in a scuffle with Pierre Spies, Schalk Burger and Botha.
It came after Botha knocked the ball out of the Welshman's grasp as he was heading for the try line.
Phillips told WalesOnline the story in an in-depth interview back in 2020.
"I’m gutted now and I look up and he’s standing there smiling at me with all his mates, who were all about 7ft tall," Phillips recalled.
"I’m thinking I can’t let him just smile at me, so I made some comment about them all being on steroids.
"At this point, I’m expecting a punch in the face or at least a push of some sort.
"But, in his thick accent, he’s come back with: 'Oh, you have sexy blue eyes'.
"I was so confused. Fair play to him, I didn’t have any comeback for that."
Springbok scrum-half du Preez also ranked his try against Wales in the 2015 Rugby World Cup final as his favourite.
It came in the 75th minute and knocked Wales out of the tournament, sending South Africa through to a semi-final against New Zealand.
