The former Ospreys hooker had to have his right leg amputated after being involved in a serious motorbike accident in December 2021.
That meant his playing days were over, but he has remained within the game.
He has been working as a pundit for S4C while he has also become part of the coaching set-up at his junior club Crymych RFC.
Phillips has helped them secure promotion to the Championship from Division One West and also win the Pembrokeshire Cup.
Head coach Elgan Vittle has been hugely impressed by the contribution the 27-year-old son of former Wales hooker Kevin Phillips has made: “Ifan has done the forwards with us since October,” he explained.
“As a coaching staff, we have learned so much from him.
“He brings that knowledge and experience from the professional game. He picks up on little detail and things we haven’t even thought of.
“It’s second nature to him because this is what he used to do for a living with the Ospreys, watching videos of games on a Monday morning and picking up on things.
“It’s been a fantastic eye opener of little details and the way he delivers it to the boys is good as well.
“He has been great. The respect he has off the boys is second to none.
“He has handled his situation superbly. He has got a really positive attitude and he is so keen.
“He was just glad to get out of the house and do stuff with us. Hopefully long may that continue.”
Former Wales prop John Davies, who played for Crymych into his late 40s, is also involved on the coaching front with the age grade set-up.
The club’s most recent international is Scarlets back row Josh Macleod. He was in the same Youth side as Ifan Phillips, whose brother Dafydd is a scrum-half with the current first team.
This season, Crymych finished third in Division One West, losing just two league matches, while they beat a Narberth Development XV 20-10 at Whitland RFC in the Pembrokeshire Cup final.
“The target at the start of the season was gaining promotion and retaining the Pembrokeshire Cup,” said Vittle. “We have ticked both boxes, which is great.”
They now head into the west division of the new look two-section Championship.
“It’s going to be a massive challenge,” said school sport co-ordinator Vittle who has been at the helm for two years having previously played for the club.
“We are not blinkered to think we are going to be able to go up and do what we did this year.
“But there are six sides going up in the west, so it’s a bit more of a fair playing field.
“Narberth and Newcastle Emlyn will be the two big derby games for us. They will be huge occasions and especially the Narberth match as they have been the stand-out club in Pembrokeshire for many a year now.
“They have been regularly top end of the Championship, so that will be a massive game for us.”
He concluded: “I remember when Crymych were in Division 7 West, so the progress has been huge. It’s been fantastic.
“The club is the hub of the community. It has a big role to play.”
