My opinion on best full-back changes daily... Sam’s top XV
HAVING played 74 times for Wales, Sam Warburton has lined up with a decent player or two.
But who would make the grade if the former Wales and Lions captain had to pick a best XV of his former Wales team-mates?
Well, we put that exact question to Warburton and this is what he said.
“I’ll start in the front row,” he told the Welsh Rugby Podcast.
“As a world force in the height of his powers, Adam Jones hands down at tight-head. Wales have been used to having good and bad days in the scrum. I think we took for granted how dominant Adam made Wales in the scrums. We’d milk penalties from it.
“Hooker is so tough. Matthew Rees is a Test Lion, Ken Owens and Richard Hibbard are too. Modern day, you look at the best front-fives, they’ve got athletes who can carry and hit and contribute in the loose - not just the setpiece. For me, Hibbard at his peak was brilliant. A real iconic, cult hero.
“Loose-head. Gethin Jenkins. Don’t even need to think of that. Genuine all-time great.”
Second-row?
“Alun Wyn Jones. Similarly, don’t need to think about. But beside him, I’d go Luke Charteris.
“People don’t get how valuable hitting rucks are, but he was magnificent. In a good game, I’d hit mid-30s, maybe 40 rucks. Charteris hit 60 rucks against Samoa in 2011 and he’s carrying 130kilo frame. Plus he’s the best lineout maul defender I’ve ever seen.
“He could have captained Wales. I would have run through a brick wall for him. Brilliant leader.
Onto the back-row – Warburton’s area of expertise. Open Side, by Sam Warburton, is published by HarperCollins, £20 He chooses not to pick himself as ‘coach’ of this dream XV.
“Back-row would have been the back-row I played with throughout the majority of my career. Dan Lydiate was the most devastating tackler you’d ever seen at his peak. Taulupe Faletau was the most gifted all-round rugby player I’d ever seen.
“If I’m not picking myself, I’ll go with Justin Tipuric. When people ask me about the best opensides, I put Justin up there with the likes of David Pocock and Richie McCaw as one of the most influential sevens we’ve seen.”
So that’s the pack taken care of. Time for the backs.
“Number nine has to be Mike Phillips. He’s the ultimate competitor. He was brilliant in the 2011 World Cup and 2013 Lions tour.
“Fly-half I found really difficult, but I’ll have to go with the experience of Stephen Jones. We all knew he was an amazing leader, but you can see how much he understands the game with his coaching. To lose him from the game would have been a real loss for Welsh rugby.
“Jamie Roberts was the most devastating centre in rugby from 2009 to 2012. As a defensive player, how many times has he come out the line and buckled someone. Another who could have been captain.
“Jonathan Davies is an amazing allround player. He can do everything.
“George North at his peak was a freak and he’s getting back to that now. Shane Williams was the closest thing to a get-out card for Wales. He singlehandedly won games for us. It was a case of just give it to Shane.
“Full-back... I can’t choose! Leigh Halfpenny or Liam Williams. It pains me to pick between those two. Both different, but world-class. My opinion changes daily on that one.
“How do I pick between them two? I’ll give them 40 minutes each!”
Sam Warburton’s best Wales team he played with:
Leigh Halfpenny Liam Williams; George North, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, Shane Williams; Stephen Jones, Mike Phillips; Gethin Jenkins, Richard Hibbard, Adam Jones, Luke Charteris, Alun Wyn Jones, Dan Lydiate, Justin Tipuric, Taulupe Faletau.