Warburton saved the best for last in his career
Sam Warburton’s final moments as a rugby player in New Zealand are what his long-time international coach Warren Gatland will remember most fondly after the former Wales and Lions captain announced his retirement yesterday.
Warburton called time on his career at the age of 29 for health reasons after failing to recover from neck and knee injuries and his last match was as Lions skipper in the controversial drawn test against the All Blacks at Eden Park in July last year.
With the series on the line, at 15-15 in the deciding test, French referee Romain Poite penalised Welsh hooker Ken Owens for accidental offside and the All Blacks would have had one clear shot at goal in the dying minutes to potentially win the test.
Warburton then stepped in to ask Poite to check his decision, a scrum was controversially awarded instead and the decider would finish 15-15, so the series was tied at 1-1.
In Warburton’s official statement, Gatland highly praised the Welsh flanker for ‘‘a magnificent career’’ but the Kiwi coach remembers that final game especially.
‘‘In a test career full of great moments, one in particular sticks in my mind,’’ Gatland said.
‘‘His captaincy in the third test for the Lions in New Zealand, in a game finely balanced and potentially historic, was exemplary. The New Zealand media were mightily impressed by him, and rightly so.’’
WalesOnline report that Warburton said questioning Poite was ‘‘a shot to nothing at that point’’.
‘‘I just asked him to check for the accidental offside. They order a penalty and it’s worth asking the question.
‘‘The whole game he was pretty receptive at having a look at things which he might not have caught at first sight. A lot of referees in the past make a call and they stick to it. This series they were really good at having a look.
‘‘If you question something 10-15 times a game they won’t acknowledge what you’re saying but less is more in those situations. Luckily he listened to the question and had a check again.’’
Gatland named Warburton Wales captain in 2011 and made him Lions skipper for series in Australia and New Zealand in 2013 and 2017 respectively.
Warburton finishes his career as just the second player to captain the Lions twice – after English lock Martin Johnson. He was unbeaten as skipper in test series after beating the Wallabies 2-1 and drawing with the All Blacks.