Philip Matthews
Encyclopedia
Phillip Michael Matthews (born 21 January 1960, in Gloucester
) is the current President of the National College of Ireland
, in Dublin, since February 2009. He was also an Ireland rugby union international, who captained the Ireland Team in 17 of 38 appearances and was also selected for the British and Irish Lions
and the captain of the Barbarians.
. The played together at Regent House Grammar School
, Queen's University
, Ards RFC
, Ulster
and Ireland
in the late 1970s and into the 1980s.
Matthews made his senior international debut against Australia
at Lansdowne Road
in 1984 and was part of the Triple Crown
winning side of 1985. He was on the subsequent 1985 Japan tour and represented his country in the 1987 Rugby World Cup
. In 1988, in his 18th international, he took over the captaincy of the Irish side against Western Samoa and went on to lead Ireland a further 12 times in all, including in the 1991 Rugby World Cup
when Ireland came extremely close to defeating eventual winners Australia in the quarter-final. He also was in the tour to Namibia. He won his 38th and final cap in 1992 against Scotland at Lansdowne Road.
In his eight years playing for Ireland he scored four tries. In 1989 he played for the British and Irish Lions
against France
in a rare "home" match for the Lions. The game formed part of the celebrations of the bi-centennial of the French Revolution.
Phillip Matthews also has the distinction of appearing on at least two postage stamps. He is the eighth Ireland player to appear on a stamp. Along with Steve Smith
and was depicted on two stamps in a set of nine issued by Tadjikistan for the 1991 Rugby World Cup
. In his stamp he is seen tackling Michael Lynagh
. Philip Matthews appears for the second time, on one of the nine rugby stamps issued by The Republic of Turkmenistan during 2000. Again he is facing Australia in the 1991 Rugby World Cup
.
. Matthews lives in Dublin and occasionally commentates for BBC alongside Jim Neilly
. Matthews was appointed as the President for the National College of Ireland
, in Dublin, Ireland, succeeding Dr. Paul Mooney in February 2010.
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
) is the current President of the National College of Ireland
National College of Ireland
National College of Ireland offers full and part-time courses from foundation to degree and postgraduate level. All courses are fully accredited and delivered from the IFSC campus and across a network of regional centres....
, in Dublin, since February 2009. He was also an Ireland rugby union international, who captained the Ireland Team in 17 of 38 appearances and was also selected for the British and Irish Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
and the captain of the Barbarians.
Senior Rugby Career
Matthews was renowned as one half of an extremely effective back-row duo along with Nigel CarrNigel Carr
Nigel Carr was an Ireland rugby union international whose promising career was cut short due to injuries sustained in an IRA bomb explosion.-Early life:Nigel John Carr was born in Belfast on 27 July 1959...
. The played together at Regent House Grammar School
Regent House Grammar School
Regent House Grammar School is a co-ed voluntary grammar school situated in Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland. It comprises two parts: the preparatory department, known as "the Prep" and the main school itself...
, Queen's University
Queen's University RFC
Queen's University Rugby Football Club is the rugby union team of Queen's University Belfast. Founded in 1869, it is the second oldest rugby union club in Northern Ireland . They originally played as Queen's College, Belfast and have won the Ulster Senior Cup a record 21 times...
, Ards RFC
Ards RFC
Ards RFC is a rugby club based in Newtownards, County Down, Northern Ireland. It is affiliated to the Ulster Branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union. The club currently fields five adult teams and an under-20 team. Three youth teams also play at under-18, under-16 and under-14 levels...
, Ulster
Ulster Rugby
Ulster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Ulster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Belfast, representing the Irish province of Ulster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
and Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
in the late 1970s and into the 1980s.
Matthews made his senior international debut against Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
at Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road was a stadium in Dublin owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union that has been the location of a number of sports stadiums. It was used primarily for rugby union and for association football matches as well as some music concerts...
in 1984 and was part of the Triple Crown
Triple Crown (Rugby Union)
In rugby union, the Triple Crown is an honour contested annually by the four national teams of the British Isles who compete within the larger Six Nations Championship: England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. If any one team manages to win all their games against the other three they win the...
winning side of 1985. He was on the subsequent 1985 Japan tour and represented his country in the 1987 Rugby World Cup
1987 Rugby World Cup
The 1987 Rugby World Cup was the first Rugby World Cup. New Zealand and Australia agreed to co-host the first ever tournament with New Zealand hosting seventeen pool stage matches, two quarter-finals and the final with Australia being the junior partner hosting seven pool matches, two...
. In 1988, in his 18th international, he took over the captaincy of the Irish side against Western Samoa and went on to lead Ireland a further 12 times in all, including in the 1991 Rugby World Cup
1991 Rugby World Cup
The 1991 Rugby World Cup was the second edition of the Rugby World Cup, and was jointly hosted by England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France; at that time, the five European countries that participated in the Five Nations Championship making it the first Rugby World Cup to be staged in the...
when Ireland came extremely close to defeating eventual winners Australia in the quarter-final. He also was in the tour to Namibia. He won his 38th and final cap in 1992 against Scotland at Lansdowne Road.
In his eight years playing for Ireland he scored four tries. In 1989 he played for the British and Irish Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
against France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
in a rare "home" match for the Lions. The game formed part of the celebrations of the bi-centennial of the French Revolution.
Phillip Matthews also has the distinction of appearing on at least two postage stamps. He is the eighth Ireland player to appear on a stamp. Along with Steve Smith
Steve Smith (Irish rugby player)
Stephen James Smith is a former Ireland international rugby union player. He played as a hooker.Smith had 25 caps for Ireland, from 1988 to 1993, scoring 2 tries, 8 points in aggregate...
and was depicted on two stamps in a set of nine issued by Tadjikistan for the 1991 Rugby World Cup
1991 Rugby World Cup
The 1991 Rugby World Cup was the second edition of the Rugby World Cup, and was jointly hosted by England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France; at that time, the five European countries that participated in the Five Nations Championship making it the first Rugby World Cup to be staged in the...
. In his stamp he is seen tackling Michael Lynagh
Michael Lynagh
Michael Lynagh is a former Australian rugby union footballer who played as a Fly-half.Lynagh represented Australia from 1984 to 1995, playing at both inside centre and fly half. Lynagh was capped 72 times for Australia, and was captain from 1993 to 1995. He was the world points scoring record...
. Philip Matthews appears for the second time, on one of the nine rugby stamps issued by The Republic of Turkmenistan during 2000. Again he is facing Australia in the 1991 Rugby World Cup
1991 Rugby World Cup
The 1991 Rugby World Cup was the second edition of the Rugby World Cup, and was jointly hosted by England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France; at that time, the five European countries that participated in the Five Nations Championship making it the first Rugby World Cup to be staged in the...
.
Personal life
Phillip Matthews is married to Lisa Flynn, the daughter of former Ireland rugby international Kevin FlynnKevin Flynn
Kevin Daniel Flynn is a politician in Oakville, Ontario, Canada. He is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the riding of Oakville for the Ontario Liberal Party....
. Matthews lives in Dublin and occasionally commentates for BBC alongside Jim Neilly
Jim Neilly
Jim Neilly is a sports commentator from Northern Ireland.Formerly a teacher of science in the Belfast Boys' Model School, Neilly joined the BBC as a sports commentator and TV presenter. He has covered the Commonwealth Games, Olympic Games, Rugby Five Nations' Championship and the Irish Rugby Tours...
. Matthews was appointed as the President for the National College of Ireland
National College of Ireland
National College of Ireland offers full and part-time courses from foundation to degree and postgraduate level. All courses are fully accredited and delivered from the IFSC campus and across a network of regional centres....
, in Dublin, Ireland, succeeding Dr. Paul Mooney in February 2010.