Sam Warburton

Sam Warburton is one of the finest players to ever step onto a rugby field. A talisman for the Cardiff Blues, Wales and the British and Irish Lions, he was a formidable flanker who captained his country a record 49 times before his retirement in 2018. Sam Warbuton was inducted into the RugbyPass Hall of Fame in 2021.

Born 5 October 1988, Sam Warburton began playing rugby at a young age. He was immediately spotted as a talent and was signed to the Cardiff Blues academy during his junior career. At this time, he also captained Wales at U18, U19 and U20 level.  

In 2006, Sam Warburton began playing professional rugby for Glamorgan Wanderers. Following this, in 2009, he made his first appearance for the Cardiff Blues. Across almost a decade, Sam Warburton represented the Cardiff Blues more than 100 times and he helped the side capture the European Rugby Challenge Cup.

In the same year he made his debut for the Cardiff Blues, Sam Warburton also made his debut for Wales. In 2011, he also captained his country for the first time. Between then and 2017, he captained Wales 49 times and helped the side become a serious force in world rugby. Under his leadership, they won the Six Nations Grand Slam and reached the semi-final of the Rugby World Cup in 2011. Sadly, Sam Warburton was sent off in the game as Wales lost 9-8 against France. 

Due to his impressive leadership and on-field performances for Wales, Sam Warburton was called into the British and Irish Lions squads in 2013 and 2017. On both tours, he was chosen as the captain of the side.

Sadly, in 2018, Sam Warburton was forced to retire from rugby after failing to recover from neck and back surgery. Since, he’s worked as a pundit and journalist.