Born at Newport, Phillips was educated at Marlborough College, where he played for the school cricket team for three years.
[3] He was fairly successful for Cambridge in his capacity as a batsman, scoring 422 runs at an average of 23.44.
[5] After graduating from Pembroke he became a director in the family brewing business, Phillips & Sons, Ltd.[1] Balancing his commitments to the family business and playing cricket, Phillips still regularly played minor counties cricket for Monmouthshire.
[2][1] He had a prolific season in 1905, scoring three centuries and was selected to play for South Wales in a non-first-class fixture against the touring Australians at Cardiff Arms Park.
[2] With the onset of World War I, Phillips was commissioned into the Monmouthshire Regiment as a second lieutenant in August 1914.