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Warburton Deserves Lions Captaincy 12 views 0 Images
01 May 2013 by Englandfan
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The British and Irish Lions squad that heads to Australia this summer is in safe hands after head coach Warren Gatland handed Wales’ Sam Warburton the deserved captain’s armband for the tour.
Warburton was named alongside 14 other Welshmen for the 37-man squad that faces a host of tricky practice fixtures Down Under before three major Tests against an Australia side determined to prove they can match whatever is thrown at them.
If Gatland’s men are to come out of the tour with a series victory they need a strong head leading the pack and Warburton, with two years of experience at the helm of Wales, is the right man for the job.
“For the last two or three years, he has been the most successful captain in the northern hemisphere,” Gatland told reporters on Tuesday.
“It’s a fantastically strong squad but if I think about naming the team tomorrow, Sam would be one of the players in there. He leads from the front.”
Indeed, the 24-year-old may be young but his success at international level is already impressive. The back-row has captained Wales to Six Nations glory over the past two years and since joining Cardiff in 2009 has helped the club maintain their presence in the Heineken Cup.
What is most pleasing about this appointment if that Gatland is not concerned about Warburton’s age, more that his ability and leadership will see him through a debut Lions tour.
The team head to Australia this summer for seven practice games before the Test series with the national side and need voices like Warburton, Leigh Halfpenny and Brian O’Driscoll to give this team an edge.
It is a good mix of experience and youthful exuberance Gatland has selected, and betting fans on Betfair Rugby can be confident the Lions leave Australia as tour winners.
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