Wales’ captain Sam Warburton on starting blocks for Lions tour
The Wales captain was given SIX cortisone injections just to get through a campaign in which he led his country to the World Cup semi-finals and a Six Nations Grand Slam.
He underwent running repairs in New Zealand and completed just one game in the Championship following leg, knee and shoulder injuries.
Warburton returned to action during Wales' ill-fated tour of Australia and was below par.
But following a five-week break he is refreshed and relishing the new season.
He said: “I was really creaking towards the end of last season. I had six injections, two in the shoulder and two in each knee just to keep playing. It's a short term solution but having this time off has been great.
“I just needed not to be the rugby player. I completely switched off from the game and that was the best thing for me after a really long season.
“But I've come back with Cardiff and hit the physical conditioning pretty hard.
“Right now I feel the best I have in a long time. My shoulders aren't aching, my knees aren't clicking and I'm fresh both physically and emotionally.”
Warburton got engaged to his childhood sweetheart Rachel during his time off but any wedding may have to be put on hold with a potential Lions tour at the end of the season.
The fearsome flanker is already nailed on for selection and, with Warren Gatland all but confirmed as head coach, has been hotly tipped to captain the side Down Under.
But Warburton insists he must avoid any further lengthy spells on the sidelines to fulfill his dream of representing the famous tourists.
Warburton said: “The Lions is getting mentioned a lot now and it's something I've wanted to do since I was a 14-year-old kid.
“I can understand why people are talking about me captaining them. I have been captain under Warren (Gatland) for 12 months. But I really don't want to look too far ahead.
“Just to have a chance of going I first of all have to stay injury-free. My first hurdle is getting through pre-season. Then I have to get back and play well enough for the Blues and hopefully that will lead to bigger honours.
“A lot can happen in 10 months. This time four years ago nobody knew who Leigh Halfpenny was but he went on to get picked by the Lions. You never know who is lurking around the corner.”
Warburton could come up against the Wallabies one more time before the Lions tour.
Wales welcome Robbie Deans' side to the Millennium Stadium in December, after clashes with Argentina, New Zealand and Samoa.
The 23-year-old is still bitterly disappointed by Wales' failure to secure a Test victory during their summer tour, as the Wallabies secured a 3-0 series whitewash, but he is confident they can secure an elusive Southern Hemisphere scalp in the autumn.
Warburton added: “It's difficult when you lose three in a row, we put so much effort into those Tests and it was hard to take.
“I'm not one to make excuses and I'd never want to say we lost because x, y, z players were missing or it being the end of the season because they had things to deal with as well.
“But beating these sides is the next step and we know we can get that scalp. We're a confident bunch and with the games at home we can get it done.”
MIKE BROWN
