Waratahs star Nick Phipps reveals crazy plan to make birth of child

In what is shaping up to be a wild 24 hours Waratahs halfback Nick Phipps is bracing for a rugby games, an international flight, and the birth of his child. He reveals the plan that will get him overseas and back in the nick of time.

Waratahs star Nick Phipps has got a crazy plan in place to be at the birth his child.

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Nick Phipps is bracing for the craziest 10 days of his life.

After playing the Sunwolves on Friday night, the Waratahs halfback and his wife Ebony have a crucial meeting on Monday with an obstetrician to carefully orchestrate logistics for the birth of their first child.

If all goes according to plan, Phipps will fly to Auckland with the rest of the NSW team next week, play against the Blues at Eden Park on Saturday, race from the ground to the airport and catch the last flight back to Sydney to be present for the birth.

“The obstetrician is actually [Wallaby defence coach] Nathan Grey’s uncle, he gets it, he understands what’s going on so he said he’s got a few tricks up his sleeve to either bring it forward or push it back a little bit,” Phipps told Rugby Confidential.

Waratahs star Nick Phipps has got a crazy plan in place to be at the birth his child.

“At the moment he thinks that it’s going to be just after the Blues game, so that would be perfect.”

Phipps, who has just recovered from a calf injury in the past fortnight, ordinarily would not be allowed to fly immediately after a match due to recovery, but NSW has a bye the following week, leading him to give advice to his partner.

“I’m telling her to relax a little bit and make it really convenient for us in the bye week, but everyone says that never happens, so we’re on our toes,” Phipps said.

“I couldn’t feel less prepared at the moment, I guess we’ll learn trial by fire.

“I see my parents and Eb’s parents, and I see very proud, passionate parents of their families, that’s what I want.

“I want to be a good role model, make sure that my family is always safe, happy and spending time together. I had a childhood I enjoyed and I want to replicate that as much as possible.

Nick and Ebony Phipps on their wedding day. Picture: Matt Johnson, The Loved Ones.

“We haven’t found out the sex. We’ve got a girl’s name, we don’t have a boy’s name yet. We wanted to keep it a surprise, not many people do it anymore but you don’t get as many good surprises as you’d like, so why not? It’s one of life’s great mysteries so we’re enjoying the ride.”

Phipps, 30, is also enjoying his last ride in Australian rugby in 2019, having signed a deal to join English club London Irish after the World Cup.

“Starting a family was a big part of that decision, I love playing for NSW and Australia, it’s the best thing ever, and anyone thinking about going early, I wouldn’t recommend that at all,” Phipps said.

“Representing your state and your country, there’s nothing better. In saying that, it takes a toll on young families.

“I’ve seen so many players with kids at home that are away on the road 250 days of the year,

Nick Phipps is playing his last season with the Waratahs before heading to England. Picture: Getty Images

I think it’s about my time to go and spend some time with my family and do something different.

“The comp there is doing really well and everyone raves about it.

“At the beginning of the year I told the boys, and I said my goal this year is to make sure no matter what I do, I leave a legacy of strong club culture and solidarity.

“When I walk in and see the boys having a laugh, taking the mickey out of each other, throwing heat and laughing, that couldn’t make me happier because I know after nine years here in Australia how important a good club feel like that is.

“If you’ve got people intermixing like that, they do the right thing because they want to, not because they have to.”

Phipps joined the Waratahs from Melbourne in 2014 and was part of the club’s maiden premiership victory that year, but is desperate to add a second title to his resume.

Nick Phipps gets a pass away for the Walllabies against the All Blacks in Sydney in 2017. Picture: Getty Images

“That was the greatest feeling ever, me and Sekope Kepu were talking about that night the other day, it’s tough to put into words how tight the group was,” Phipps said.

“Those bonds you build last a lifetime. I think it’s good because a lot of the younger blokes who have come in now want it, they’re sick of hearing, ‘In 2014 we did this’, they want their own slice.

“And for us who were there, we want it again, we don’t want to be a flash in the pan.

“We want to build a consistent team, a consistent program where you know they’re going to be there or thereabouts every year around the finals.

“This year is a massive year for a lot of us, our last at the Tahs, we want to make sure we’re leaving on a high.”