Born in India in 1912, Bill learned his Rugby at Eltham College, South East London.
He was an Oxford blue who played centre and occasional wing for Gloucester from 1935 to 1939 and for Gloucestershire throughout their 1936-37 Championship-winning season. Before joining Gloucester he played for Blackheath and Kent.
Bill became Chaplain of Dean Close School, Cheltenham in October 1935 and joined Gloucester RFC soon after. As an established first class player he played for the first team almost immediately on arrival.
Together with the Reverend Kit Tanner on the wing and the Reverend Mervyn Hughes at wing forward, Bill is remembered as one of the three clergymen who played for Gloucester. He was a regular in the great Gloucester side of 1937-38 under John A'Bear.
Bill Phillips served as an Army Chaplain during the 1939-45 war. He was taken prisoner of war at Arnhem in September 1944 and released in April 1945.
He now lives in retirement in Upton St Leonards and at 100 years of age is truly the Grand Old Man of Gloucester Rugby.
