ROWLAND Phillips reflected on a ‘bizarre’ few days, after being offered the job as London Welsh head coach not long after being hit by a car.

The 49-year-old, who takes charge for the first time against Bath on Sunday, was not present at the Exiles’ 74-19 Aviva Premiership defeat at Exeter Chiefs on March 7 after being struck by the vehicle near his home in Neath, two days before.

And after recovering from that incident, it was just ten days later that Phillips replaced Justin Burnell as Welsh head coach.

“It was bizarre,” he said.

“Quite a few things happened at the same time.

“I was in hospital for the Friday and Saturday and early the next week, after the decisions were made, I was approached by the club to lead the group until the end of the season.”

Phillips joined Welsh as defence coach in November, but will not make any decisions on whether he wants the role permanently until after the campaign is over.

“My focus is purely preparing the boys for Bath and later down the line we can discuss what the future holds,” he added.