His International career included leading Wales to another Rugby World Cup in 2015, captaining them to a Grand Slam in 2012 and their first back-to-back Six Nations Championship wins in over 30 years.
Even with his outstanding achievements in a Wales shirt, it is perhaps as a British and Irish Lion Sam is best known.
From becoming their youngest ever Captain at 24, for the 2013 tour to Australia, Sam led the side to their first series win in 16 years, at a time when the future of the Lions in the professional era was beginning to be questioned.
Sam was then named as Captain for the 2017 tour to New Zealand, becoming just the second person in history to Captain the Lions on two tours.
In April 2017, Warburton was selected by Warren Gatland to captain the Lions for the 2017 tour to New Zealand
In July 2018, the Wales and British & Irish Lions captain announced his retirement from rugby union at 29 years of age after failing to fully recover from neck and back surgery.
Sam is still involved with rugby as a broadcaster for BBC & BT Sport and has also become a Sunday Times Best Selling Author with his autobiography ‘Open Side’. Sam also writes for The Times Newspaper and is also on the board for Cardiff Rugby and The British & Irish Lions Trust.
