Sam Warburton

18 | June 7 2013 | CAPTAIN MATERIAL FROM RED CARD CATASTROPHE TO LIONS LEADERSHIP, IT’S BEEN A HELL OF A JOURNEY FOR PORTRAIT BY JON ENOCH

| June 21 2013 | 17 Sam Warburton

wo years, 17 days, 20 hours, It might be only two years since he was first 35 minutes. When the British and Irish given the Welsh captaincy, and four since his Lions take to the field to face Australia international debut, but his career has in the first Test tomorrow morning, already encompassed one World Cup, two that’s exactly how long will have Six Nations victories, a seven-match winless passed since Sam Warburton first streak, World Cup ranking ignominy and a captained his country. bucketload of injuries. There is a definite T“It’s mad, isn’t it?” the man tasked with sense that the journey has made the man. leading the Lions laughs when we remind him “I’ve definitely changed,” Warburton how short a time it’s taken him to earn the agrees. “I was recognised by one person in ultimate honour. “But I’ve been through quite town the night I made my first Millennium a lot in two years, through injuries, changes Stadium start back in 2009, and I remember in form, media appearances and all that – looking at my fiancée and being like: ‘This is so I’m much much more relaxed now than I crazy.’ Then suddenly there’s the captaincy, was in 2011. As time goes on… hang on, it’s the World Cup, the red card, the , only two years, and I’m talking like I’m 60! the second Six Nations title and the captain’s As you get a bit more experience, though, announcement for the Lions. If you’d taken you do appreciate things a bit more, really. me from then to now at the click of a finger, And that’s the way I feel about this tour. I guess I wouldn’t have been able to deal I’m here to enjoy it.” TAKE ME FROM MY with it. But things have just escalated. We’re sitting with Warburton on the eve “The World Cup was the biggest shock for of the Lions departure. Swathes of shiny new DEBUT TO NOW AT THE CLICK me, and the hardest, because the captaincy Lions kit and his smart new Thomas Pink suit was such a big deal – and I got thrown into aside, there’s something very different about OF A FINGER, AND I WOULDN’T the public eye with everything that happened the Blues man: an extra confidence, BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH IT. around that red card [in the World Cup semi a marked maturity, and a sureness of step final]. I think I definitely learned from that that belie his 24 years. THINGS HAVE JUST ESCALATED experience, because it was a tough one. > David Rogers/Getty Images, Stu Forster/Getty Images

18 | June 21 2013 | Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand Sam Warburton

That’s what has made me so relaxed now, dominate the make-up of the side. It’s one so I guess some 50/50 decisions went in because I’ve been through those experiences accusation that has been levelled at this the Welsh favour after that. It makes the – not many people have been through that squad a number of times: a Welsh bias that transition easier for me as well, of course, much in their whole career. It’s good and bad. runs through from top to bottom, with three because I’m very familiar with a lot of the But I guess it’s all prepared me for this.” coaches from the Wales squad and no fewer players and lean on a lot of them.” ‘This’ being the Lions captaincy, of course, than 15 Welsh players making up the original So, Wales won the Six Nations and and Warburton is happy to admit he’s loving 37-man selection (even if injury subsequently the Wales coach was in charge of the his new role. “It just feels right, and I guess ruled out). What does the subsequent Lions tour. Surely Warburton because I’ve always wanted it to happen, captain make of that? knew he was going to get the captaincy? being in this situation hasn’t surprised me,” “Everybody who complained probably “No, I had no indication whatsoever, he reflects. “I don’t mean that to sound isn’t Welsh, because everybody wants to see which is what made the whole thing more arrogant, but I’ve always wanted it from a more of their countrymen picked, obviously,” surprising,” he insists. “I would have put my very young age, so I’ve always wondered what Warburton readily admits. “Warren [Gatland] mortgage on Brian O’Driscoll, and that’s it’d be like. And, now I have it, I’m loving it.” always says he likes to pick according to what I was telling people prior to the players’ form when they’re in the most announcement. Four days before I found out, pressurised situation, and you probably the bookies closed betting on myself – and LEADER OF THE PACK couldn’t have had a more pressurised that’s when I realised I had a bit of a chance.” Having missed the first games with injury, situation than that Six Nations showdown And after he found out? “I lied to a heck of and watched from the side as his team lost between us and . You get those rare a lot of people,” Warburton laughs. “The day it to the on Tuesday, it’s not all been players who can switch it on when the was announced, I must have had about 100 Up, and under pressure: plain sailing for the Lions skipper. The first pressure’s on, and that’s what the coaches texts from people saying: ‘You told me you Warburton outjumps real test starts tomorrow, though, with... are looking for. That was the closest didn’t have it.’ But what else could I do? England’s well, the first Test. And it’s a match that will environment you could create to a Lions tour I don’t think it would have made a good first in March’s Six Nations see Warburton and his fellow Welshmen – having to perform under that pressure – impression if I’d have told people and it > decider in Cardiff

YOU COULDN’T HAVE HAD A MORE PRESSURISED SITUATION THAN THAT SIX NATIONS SHOWDOWN. THAT WAS THE CLOSEST ENVIRONMENT YOU COULD GET TO A LIONS TOUR Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images

20 | June 21 2013 | Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand Sam Warburton leaked out. I told my fiancée straight away, then my mum and dad and my brother and sister. After that, I kept my cards very close to my chest. Deny, deny, deny.” Once the announcement was made, the naysayers emerged. How can a man who hasn’t been on a Lions tour lead the team? It should have been [insert your own preference here]. Warburton just shrugs: “Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, but I don’t agree. At the end of the day, you’re going to a place to play rugby where you’re going to have a ton of support. When you come together and bring four regions together for Wales, you have to gel. And it’s the same thing but on a bigger scale. I’ve got a very laidback approach to everything, so it won’t stress me out, but I don’t think you have to have past experience. Besides, there are other senior players in the group who can help in certain aspects anyway. I’m not taking absolutely everything on myself. There is a leadership group there to spread the workload.” EYES ON THE AUSSIES Clearly, Warburton is a man who’s sure of himself – and he’s happy to share his considerable responsibilities. The buck, though, will stop with the man wearing the number seven shirt if the Lions come up short tomorrow. Or, even worse, come up short throughout the series. “We know we have the makings to beat Australia,” Warburton reassures us. But what of the opposition? Crippled by incredible journey. The ultimate step, in fact. Leading the charge: “We came so close last time around with injuries – and a few problems of the players’ It’s something we put to the man with four Warburton carries the Wales [in December, losing 12-14], but we own making – the Aussies are lacking the X nations’ hopes in his hand – having reached ball during the Lions’ just came up short because of a few minor factor of old, and are being written off by all the peak of his game, what comes next? 47-17 defeat of the New lapses in concentration. We came close and sundry. But Warburton, as you’d expect, “Four years ago, I was on the development South Wales Waratahs enough to know we can win. And, hopefully, doesn’t see it that way. tour with Wales to the US and Canada during in Sydney last weekend adding the players from other nations will tip “Both teams are in the same situation in a the Lions tour, so that does seem pretty the scales in our favour.” way, with players missing injured,” he says. weird when I think about it,” he agrees. “I do There’s that Welsh bias again. It’s hard to “We’re coming off the back of a long season, appreciate it is the top of British rugby, but get away from, as Warburton readily admits: so I think it’s a level playing field and there I’m definitely not planning to stop just yet. “We’ve tweaked a lot of stuff, but obviously are no complaints. The worst thing that could There are always more targets to reach for. there are going to be some similarities to happen is to win a nailbiting Test series and So what would motivate me is to do it again the way we play with Wales. There is some then for somebody to say afterwards that and again on consecutive tours, because I’m responsibility on us Welsh boys to help coach if [David] Pocock was playing, that would not sure how many times it’s been done. the others and to lead the way, but then we have made a difference. I don’t think those I just want to keep going.” have the differences that make us the team excuses will be there, though. The Super XV After the impact he’s made in the past two we are. Brian O’Driscoll, Paul O’Connell, players have been performing brilliantly, and years, it’s hard to see anything stopping Sam , – these players a few lesser-known names are putting their Warburton. Not even Australia. add something different, and then there’s hands up for selection. It’s certainly not a Mark Coughlan @coffers83 coaching us the English coincidence, and I guess it shows how much defensive style, or leading it means to Australia.” Sam Warburton is an ambassador for Thomas the forwards in his way. It’s good, because It clearly means a lot to Warburton as Pink, official outfitters to the British and Irish it keeps everyone on their toes and keeps well, and leading out the Lions in Brisbane Lions. The Lions Collection is now available to buy

us learning.” tomorrow will mark another huge step on his at www.thomaspink.com David Rogers/Getty Images

22 | June 21 2013 | Download the free Sport iPad app from the Apple Newsstand