WARBURTON EYES YEAR OFF
SAM WARBURTON could take a year out of rugby to give his battered body a chance to rest before the 2019 World Cup. Sportsmail understands the Lions captain has held talks with Wales about taking a sabbatical to return to peak fitness after the sixth surgery of his career in September. The 29-year-old, who made his international debut nearly a decade ago, is pencilled to return from a neck injury in January for his club Cardiff Blues, but is wondering if a 12-month break might be a better option for his long-term prospects. He said: ‘Richie McCaw took a sabbatical when he was playing, David Pocock has just done the same.’ Warburton has also revealed he’s thinking of retiring when his current club contract ends in 2020.
SAM WARBuRToN has underlined the brutal physicality of modern rugby by contemplating taking a year out.
The talismanic Wales and Lions captain has held talks about his injury management after surgery for the sixth time in his career in September.
Warren Gatland wants his leader to skipper Wales during the next World Cup in Japan — a tournament which could be Warburton’s last before he retires.
And after a career that has seen him suffer 20 signifficant injuries, a sabbatical to allow complete rest and recovery was among the options discussed.
The news comes on the day that Jonathan Davies was not only ruled out of the rest of Wales’s autumn Tests, but next year’s Six Nations, too.
The Lions’ man of the series from the New Zealand tour suffered a horror ankle injury in the final seconds of Wales’s 29-21 defeat by Australia on Saturday in Cardiff.
Jamie Roberts, dropped from the original squad, is back as cover for the Tests against Georgia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Warburton has returned to light training at Cardiff Blues, targeting a January return if he does not go through with his sabbatical plans, and spoke of his injury nightmare. His latest neck injury was the 20th serious knock of his eight-year Test career.
‘ When you get injured it is the only time you get to have a rest,’ he told Sportsmail. ‘It is not great. At least it’s a chance to focus on all your body parts and get them in top condition. ‘The neck is something I have been managing for a few years. I could have played on but it would have made it worse. It would not be fair on the Blues or Wales. ‘It was the best time to get it done, to sacrifice four months, nip it in the bud for the rest of my career. It will be worth it. ‘I have a contract until 2020 but not signed anything past that. ‘I am not going to play until my mid-thirties. Players who started at my age (Test debut at 20) don’t, unless you are pretty fortunate. ‘I used to get down when I got injured but now I realise it is part of the job. If you have had less than a handful of operations playing No 7 you are pretty lucky. ‘Richie McCaw took a sabbatical when he was playing, David Pocock has just done the same.’ Having captained two unbeaten Lions tours and a Grand Slam, Warburton will go down as a legend when he calls it a day. But he sees the chance of a World Cup win as a crowning glory. ‘It’s hard to think about retirement because I’ve always had 2019 on the radar,’ he said. ‘To play in three World Cups would be great. Brian o’Driscoll and Paul o’Connell had three Lions tours (o’Driscoll four) and four World Cups. They did amazingly. ‘Hopefully I can get a few more years out of that and try to stay near the top.’ British & Irish Lions: Uncovered is now out on Blu-ray and DVD.