OUR PRO14 PREDICTIONS
EYES ON THE PRIZE AS NEW PRO14 SEASON SWINGS INTO ACTION
SAM Warburton has revealed the three players he believes will win the battle to be Wales’ World Cup back rowers.
Warren Gatland’s selection dilemma certainly got a little easier with news of Warburton’s retirement last month , but he still faces a huge decision over the next year with so many potential candidates.
And Warburton, who appeared on BT Sport’s Rugby Tonight show on Wednesday night, was pushed on the subject when answering viewers’ questions.
Having previously said he doesn’t know who the best seven in Wales is, he was asked directly who will be in Wales’ World Cup back row?
“Toby Faletau has to be there. Definitely. Then I’m going to go with Ellis Jenkins and Justin Tipuric,” he said.
Both Tipuric and Jenkins have played in their favoured number seven position and at six for Wales, with Jenkins taking on the blindside role in Wales’ last match against Argentina when he was paired with James Davies.
Gatland is expected to take no more than six back rowers to Japan next year, with 12 excellent contenders all hoping to be in the mix.
Warburton’s back row sees the likes of Scarlets star Davies, Ross Moriarty, Josh Navidi, Aaron Shingler and his good friend Dan Lydiate miss out on the starting XV.
Former Lions skipper Warburton, who will be a TV pundit for BT Sport and Premier Sports this season, also revealed the moment his decision to retire really hit home as he cleared out his belongings and left the Cardiff Blues WhatsApp group.
“I told the boys, obviously I was going to have to leave the WhatsApp group. So I left the group and now I haven’t got hundreds of silly messages coming through from the boys anymore! That is weird.
“People don’t think of that stuff but that’s the weird stuff you’re not used to. You’ve been with the boys so long and without that (it’s strange). That’s the bit people don’t tell you about.”