Sam Warburton...!

partyguinness

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/jul/18/sam-warburton-retires-rugby-union-29

aloooof

Always came across very well. Unfortunately, I think we'll continue to see lads retiring early.

Jump_In_Jack

Poor guy, loved to hate him when Ireland were up against him, but to be fair, when he was in form and fully firing he was a menace.
He reminds me now of Sean O'Brien, hopefully Sean will be able to continue, but who knows.
29 is fairly young, very similar fate to Stephen Ferris for Ireland, and similar calibre of player I would say, both world class on their day.

aloooof

He made an absolute mess of the breakdown in the second Lions test, really made a difference at slowing down their ball compared to the first test.

washman3

Shame he was denied a chance to play in a RWC final by a scandalous refereeing decision being sent off in that semi V France.
The referee was out of his depth and should not have been given that particular game anyway. That was a great chance for Wales to win a World Cup with an excellent team. Warburton was an excellent player, truly world class.

pickarooney

washman3 wrote: »

Shame he was denied a chance to play in a RWC final by a scandalous refereeing decision being sent off in that semi V France.
The referee was out of his depth and should not have been given that particular game anyway. That was a great chance for Wales to win a World Cup with an excellent team. Warburton was an excellent player, truly world class.

A decision Warburton agreed with (at least publicly).

Dave_The_Sheep

washman3 wrote: »

Shame he was denied a chance to play in a RWC final by a scandalous refereeing decision being sent off in that semi V France.
The referee was out of his depth and should not have been given that particular game anyway. That was a great chance for Wales to win a World Cup with an excellent team.

It was a red card every day of the week given World Rugby's directive.
As for Rolland being out of his depth, he reffed the 2007 WC final, and assisted in the 2011 final (after sending off Warburton), and has reffed what is it, three Heineken Cup finals? Out of his depth, not even close.

Warburton was an excellent player, truly world class.

This I can agree on. Comes across as a top class guy off the pitch too. Real shame he's had to retire.

Dog Botherer

washman3 wrote: »

Shame he was denied a chance to play in a RWC final by a scandalous refereeing decision being sent off in that semi V France.
The referee was out of his depth and should not have been given that particular game anyway. That was a great chance for Wales to win a World Cup with an excellent team. Warburton was an excellent player, truly world class.

I mean, Rolland was literally the top referee in world rugby at that point, he was hardly out of his depth. And last time I checked a tip tackle is a red card offense, regardless of who commits it or when it’s committed.

France were absolutely useless and Wales should have beaten them even down a man. Don’t blame the ref for that.

Buer

Close your mouths lads.

steves2

I read an article about what his body had been through and the time he had to take off to get himself right again, few months ago obviously. I think the way the game is going we'll see more and more early retirements, players spending more time lifting weights and in the gym, the big hits etc. He was a great player for Wales and the Lions, seemed a nice bloke too.

twinytwo

washman3 wrote: »

Shame he was denied a chance to play in a RWC final by a scandalous refereeing decision being sent off in that semi V France.
The referee was out of his depth and should not have been given that particular game anyway. That was a great chance for Wales to win a World Cup with an excellent team. Warburton was an excellent player, truly world class.

Give over... that was a red every time.

He was a good player but I reckon he was very lucky to go on both lions tours. Any coach but gatty and he may not have travelled and defo wouldn't have been captain

Yeah_Right

I always thought he was a bit over rated. Don't get me wrong, he was a good international but I never thought of him as one of the best 7s around. Great work rate and captain but I just never rated him as a world class 7. Always felt he was the Welsh Chris Robshaw (much better player than Robshaw).

Any way, its a sad way for his career to end.

Yeah_Right

Yeah_Right wrote: »

I always thought he was a bit over rated. Don't get me wrong, he was a good international but I never thought of him as one of the best 7s around. Great work rate and captain but I just never rated him as a world class 7. Always felt he was the Welsh Chris Robshaw (much better player than Robshaw).

Any way, its a sad way for his career to end.

His complete disinterest in his club career probably robbed him of quite a few plaudits and I agree that he wasn't a particularly eye catching player, but he made teams he was in very hard to beat and was a catalyst for those around him. I'd more liken him to O'Connell in that it was both his presence and attitude that made him a great, not just his ability as a player.

The Lost Sheep

washman3 wrote: »

Shame he was denied a chance to play in a RWC final by a scandalous refereeing decision being sent off in that semi V France.
The referee was out of his depth and should not have been given that particular game anyway. That was a great chance for Wales to win a World Cup with an excellent team. Warburton was an excellent player, truly world class.

nonsense. Rolland was at the time probably the best ref in the game and in no way out of his depth. It was also an out and out red by he laws of the game.

Sabre0001

His injury portfolio!

Neil3030

Contact that would otherwise be carded in open play is allowed happen freely at the breakdown, and unless this changes, you're going to see a lot more loose forwards retire before the age of 30. The impact these lads take on either side of the ball has to now be up there with that of an NFL running back.

Buer

Deleted User wrote: »

His complete disinterest in his club career probably robbed him of quite a few plaudits.

I think that's one of the fables that developed around him in Ireland. He played for a brutal side but he definitely wasn't completely disinterested in his club. His appearance totals for Cardiff are very similar to those of Ferris, SOB and POM for their respective provinces but Warburton has significantly more appearances for his national side.

I think he played a lot of rugby half fit for Cardiff and it was rare that they were ever involved in high level games. But when he did play, he put himself about despite rarely getting much credit. I remember seeing him buried into every ruck for a well beaten Cardiff side in Dublin and the overall opinion was that he was useless.

In Ireland we often tend to dismiss foreign back row players who aren't prominent in the loose. Guys like Worsley, Haskell, Warburton and Robshaw never get much respect in these parts despite being critical to their teams.

FrannoFan

Buer wrote: »

I think that's one of the fables that developed around him in Ireland. He played for a brutal side but he definitely wasn't completely disinterested in his club. His appearance totals for Cardiff are very similar to those of Ferris, SOB and POM for their respective provinces but Warburton has significantly more appearances for his national side.

I think he played a lot of rugby half fit for Cardiff and it was rare that they were ever involved in high level games. But when he did play, he put himself about despite rarely getting much credit. I remember seeing him buried into every ruck for a well beaten Cardiff side in Dublin and the overall opinion was that he was useless.

In Ireland we often tend to dismiss foreign back row players who aren't prominent in the loose. Guys like Worsley, Haskell, Warburton and Robshaw never get much respect in these parts despite being critical to their teams.

He regularly phoned it in for Cardiff and saved himself for wales.

Also saw him play in dublin for Cardiff v leinster and the guy was walking around.
For me a poc or bod would never perform like that. That's why he won't ever be in their bracket

Buer

BOD was the epitome of phoning it in when it came to the league.

FrannoFan

Buer wrote: »

BOD was the epitome of phoning it in when it came to the league.

When we were winning

irishbucsfan

washman3 wrote: »

Shame he was denied a chance to play in a RWC final by a scandalous refereeing decision being sent off in that semi V France.
The referee was out of his depth and should not have been given that particular game anyway. That was a great chance for Wales to win a World Cup with an excellent team. Warburton was an excellent player, truly world class.

Rolland was out of his depth in a semi-final... despite having refereed the previous world cup final!

stormthecastle

Hopefully some lessons can be learned from his retirement as many more could follow. I have no idea what though. Crazy collisions and impact but thats the game.

Sharer

The most admirable thing about Sam Warburton was his sportsmanship and his fairness in all regards.He never moaned or complained. He. accepted unquestioningly, at the time and later, that sending off. A fine man in all respects and a top rugby player.

partyguinness

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Rolland was out of his depth in a semi-final... despite having refereed the previous world cup final!

Way to completely undermine your point....

washman3

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Rolland was out of his depth in a semi-final... despite having refereed the previous world cup final!

And he made I total balls of that final too, if you can remember correctly.;)

AIL games should have been his level, but of course he 'talked a great game'