WARBURTON: I’M READY FOR THE ALL BLACKS
SAM Warburton has given the Lions a huge boost ahead of next Monday’s departure for New Zealand by declaring his fitness after revealing he’d come through his first full contact session since being injured six weeks ago.
Warren Gatland’s captain damaged a knee appearing for Cardiff Blues against Ulster in the Guinness Pro12 and has been having intensive treatment ahead of rugby’s most demanding mission – beating the All Blacks in a Test series.
The cream of British and Irish rugby has only completed one successful conquest of New Zealand, when Barry John, Gareth Edwards, JPR Williams and a host of other Welsh stars steered them to victory in 1971 with John Dawes as captain and Carwyn James coach.
Warburton led the Gatlandcoached Lions to a 2-1 series triumph in Australia four years ago and his fitness is crucial to their prospects after losing England’s back-row ball-carrier Billy Vunipola following Saracens’ Aviva Premiership play-off exit against Exeter Chiefs on Saturday with a recurring shoulder problem.
The Lions needed a tonic ahead of next Monday’s departure for New Zealand with Wales hooker Ken Owens (ankle), Leinster back-row forward Sean O’Brien (calf ) and Ospreys scrum-half Rhys Webb (groin) missing last weekend’s Guinness Pro12 play-off action, while Leinster prop Jack McGrath saw an arm X-ray come back all clear.
And flanker Warburton has provided it at a training camp in Ireland, beaming: “I am fully fit, which is good.
“Last week in the camp in Wales I was pretty much doing everything apart from just the last little bit of contact stuff.
“But today [Monday] I trained fully. I did full contact, and I was absolutely fine. That’s is all the boxes ticked, and now I can crack on,” he declared.
Warburton admitted losing Vunipola, who was brought up near Pontypool, was a blow but believes his replacement James Haskell, who can play anywhere in the back-row, will challenge for a place in Gatland’s team to face back-to-back World Cup holders New Zealand in the three-Test series.
“Billy was one of the guys I was really looking forward to playing with,” said the former Wales skipper.
“He has been a massive player for Saracens. It is a big loss for us, but James coming in – I think only Rory Best and Alun Wyn Jones have got more caps than him – means we are very lucky.
“He is a player who I think will have a massive impact on this tour.”
Gatland said things were “pretty good” in terms of the 30 players he is currently working with in Ireland.
And he was upbeat about the fitness prospects of Webb, Owens and O’Brien, saying: “I think we are pretty good – the guys are making good progress.”