WARY WARRIORS

Two-time British and Irish Lions skipper Sam Warburton is out for the rest of the year after news that he will have to undergo surgery following the recurrence of a long-standing neck injury.

Cardiff Blues, who are preparing to host Glasgow Warriors at the Arms Park on Saturday night, said that former Wales skipper Warburton, who captained the Lions to their series draw in New Zealand this summer, faces up to four months out.

That means Warburton will miss Wales’ autumn Tests against Australia, Georgia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Warburton, 28, had yet to make his first appearance of the season after a post-lions break before returning to training, where he exacerbated a long-standing neck problem this week.

“It’s a major blow for all concerned, it’s a blow for Cardiff Blues and Wales. We all hoped he would be back playing soon,” said Warburton’s club coach Danny Wilson.

“It is a long-standing issue that he has had. He gets pain and discomfort on and off.

“The feeling was that two months off would help it settle completely and do him a world of good.

“He came back feeling confident about it. He went through the protocols when he came back to training, and during the contact element, just on pads, it began to flare up again.

“We looked into it in more detail, and it has led to where we are.”

Cardiff have lost their opening two Guinness Pro14 fixtures, at home to Edinburgh and away to Leinster, 0 Sam Warburton: Will miss Wales’ autumn Test series. but Glasgow attack coach Jason O’halloran is wary of talk about the 100 per cent Warriors being strong favourites in the Welsh capital this weekend.

“There’s quality amongst that group,” said the Kiwi. “There’s Ray Lee-lo and a guy like Matthew Morgan is a real

“We don’t want to get complacent, it is in games like this that, if you take your eye off the ball, you get knocked over”

JASON O’HALLORAN talent too. With these kind of guys if you don’t respect them they can make you look silly sometimes.

“I don’t know about favourites. I think they’ll be a very, very desperate side. We’ll probably be favourites in supporters’ eyes but we don’t want to get complacent, it is in games like this that, if you take your eye off the ball,