Wales Captain, Sam
Warburton, looks back on how his time at Glamorgan Wanderers in the Principality Premiership played a pivotal role
in his development as one of the world’s leading openside flankers.
Sam
Warburton Principality Premiership Rugby Home - Love Wales
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Born
in Cardiff, Sam attended Whitchurch High School, where he originally took up an
interest in football and starred for the school team alongside current
Tottenham and Wales winger Gareth Bale.
After
initially having a trial with Cardiff City FC at 14, Sam switched his
attentions to the oval ball game and played for Rhiwbina and Glamorgan
Wanderers alongside his twin brother Ben in the Principality Premiership, where
he won a player of the month award, before joining the Cardiff Blues.
After
an initial and successful spell with the Blues Academy, where he was part of
their under-20 side that won the U20 Reebok Regional Championship in 2006-07,
Warburton progressed to the first team, making his debut in 2009.
Initially,
his path to the first team both domestically and internationally was blocked by
one of his idols, Martyn Williams, but since Williams’ retirement, he has made
the No7 shirt his own.
In
May 2010, Warburton replaced Maama Molitika just after the hour mark as the
Blues became the first Welsh side to win a European trophy by beating Toulon
28-21 in the final of the Amlin Challenge Cup at the Stade Velodrome in
Marseille.
He
made his Welsh debut in 2009 against the USA and has gone on to win 35 caps,
scoring his first try against Italy in the 2011 Six Nations tournament.
He
was named Welsh captain on the verge of the 2011 World Cup, their youngest ever
at a tournament, and was magnificent in leading his country to the semi-final stage
where he was controversially sent off in Wales’ agonising 9-8 defeat to France.
He
captained them to their 2012 Grand Slam success, and is expected to have a long
and fruitful career in the game.
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