LIST: Sam Warburton ranks his five best back-rowers

Thursday, 11 March 2021 at 13:32

byRugby Rucker

Discussing the best players he shared the field with, former Lions and Wales captain Sam Warburton has named these five back-rowers as the very best.

Winning 74 Wales caps and five for the Lions, Warburton led his country a record 49 times and will go down as one of the best Welsh players in history

Putting together his all-time Wales and toughest opponents XV, see who made his list:

DID YOU KNOW? Sam Warburton represented Wales at all levels, captaining the under-18s, under-19s and under-20

#5. Kieran Read (New Zealand)

Warburton said: "It was always a pleasure to play against him. He actually made it into my all-time XV of players I've faced in my book."

#4. Justin Tipuric (Wales)

Warburton said: "When people ask me about the best opensides, I put Justin up there with the likes of David Pocock and Richie McCaw as one of the most influential sevens we've seen."

#3. Taulupe Faletau (Wales)

Warburton said: "Faletau was the most gifted all-round rugby player I'd ever seen."

#2. Richie McCaw (New Zealand)

Warburton said: ""His ability as a leader will be something he will be remembered for. Leadership doesn't come to anyone naturally, it's a learned skill."

#1. David Pocock (Australia)

Warburton said: "I didn’t play against anyone who was better than him (Pocock). For me, he was a real force, in the northern hemisphere, if you’re looking at openside flankers I think he’s the most highly regarded, I always say he was my most difficult opponent.”