WARBURTON TOUR SCARE
Injury may cost him Lions armband
SAM Warburton could miss out on the lions captaincy after suffering a knee injury that is expected to rule him out until the squad fly to new Zealand.
The Wales flanker, who was set to be unveiled as skipper next Wednesday, has been sidelined for six weeks because of ligament damage. It leaves Warren Gatland facing a late call over the captaincy with Warburton, 28, likely to be undercooked for the 10-match tour.
Fellow captaincy candidate Alun Wyn Jones is also injured, and previous front- runners dylan Hartley and rory Best lost form during the Six nations.
Cardiff Blues coach danny Wilson said: ‘It’s relatively good news considering how it could have been. It will put Sam out for approximately six weeks, which shouldn’t interfere with the lions.’
Warburton, who captained the lions in 2013, has a slim chance of returning for the Blues if they qualify for the Champions Cup play-off on May 26 — three days before the squad depart.
‘Sam knows his body,’ said Wilson. ‘He’s played a lot of rugby this year, so a break might freshen him up a bit. It’s a case of getting back on the bike.’
Warburton, who suffered the injury against Ulster on Friday, relinquished the Wal e s captaincy during the Six nations to focus on his form. He was expected to be among 37 players named next week.
england lock George Kruis will press his lions claims when he returns to action against northampton on Sunday following an injury- plagued season.
The 27-year- old was a firstchoice starter for eddie Jones before suffering a horrendous run of injuries which has seen him miss 21 weeks of the season through a combination of ankle, jaw and knee problems.
The latest knee injury saw Kruis ruled out of the Six nations, with Joe launchbury and Courtney lawes both excelling in the second row.
Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall said: ‘It’s an area where england are incredibly strong but George was being picked when he was available. He came back in halfway through the autumn post injury and did a good job. He’s one of those players who seems to be able to maintain his fitness and is naturally very fit anyway.
‘Had he not been injured and he’d have maintained his form, which was at a very high level, people would probably have considered him to be nailed on to go on the lions tour.
‘now he’s up against some players who have played quite well. But they know his quality and the lions tour is a long way off. He’s got seven weeks to get really match fit so in some respects it might be just perfect for both parties.’
Former Wales and lions scrum-half Mike Phillips will retire at the end of this season. The 34-year-old won 94 caps for his country during a 12-year international career that also included five Test appearances for the lions during the tours of South Africa in 2009 and Australia four years later.
Phillips joined Sale from racing 92 last summer. He also played for the Scarlets, Cardiff Blues, Ospreys and Bayonne.