Prime Sam Warburton was UNREAL! [Complete Wales Highlights]

[@genericusername370]

One of the most complete defensive players ever but wow has the refereeing at the breakdown changed a lot.

[@simontaylor2525]

Well the actual laws have changed

[@offwithhishead2556]

Ain't it just!

[@owensteam]

As an England fan nothing but admiration for this player, absolutely world class and a brilliant commentator now as well.

[@jamesrautha162]

Ugh, God - I was starting to forget what a tier 1 Wales was like - those were the days

[@Demondoink1]

As a Scottish fan, it was always so annoying playing you guys cos you'd always beat us- even if the game was close. Now I'm disappointed if we don't beat Wales fairly comfortably. I'm sure it'll turn around again at some point though. Swings and roundabouts.

[@jamesrautha162]

@@Demondoink1 hope you're right! Feels like we can't sink much lower

[@kaijones3853]

Saw the 50 points against Italy and nearly cried 😢

[@robrhondda883]

Sam in addition to his total commitment and extraordinary attitude is also a great guy!

[@brianharvey9765]

He'd have walked into any team during his prime! One of the Welsh greats.

[@colpy5372]

Yeah, i think Richie McCaw would disagree with that.

[@svresh]

@@colpy5372 he could play 6 aswell so there would still be a space imo

[@jukeseyable]

@@colpy5372 honestly i rate him as good as McCaw, remember McMaw played in what was overall a better team, making him look better. Im not saying he wasnt great, he was, but he was surounded by great players as well. Wales were more than the sum of their parts, front row was right up there, so was the back row, but the 2nd rows were not as good as the AB's 2nd rows of McCaw's gen

[@StevenHargett-x1q]

One superb player, career cut short through injury. He loved smashing Saffas. England fan 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@goodboydaz]

Tipuric/Lydiate, Warburton and Faletau backrow was world class.

[@jukeseyable]

its a real shame navidi wasnt capped earlier, he was aa better player than Lydiat, and had a lot more ball carrying ability, Warbs, Navadi, Faletau, id have as world no 1 of their generation, yes some big names out there, but it was as you say world class as it was, but with navidi who i rate as the best 6 in the world when he played would have elevated it further

[@goodboydaz]

@@jukeseyable Mehh I think Navidi was more of a late bloomer. 2011-2017 I think I pick both Lydiate and Tipuric over Navidi. Although Navidi should have been next man up if any of those 4 were injured. How Ross Moriarty has 50 odd caps is more of a surprised.

[@finch14594]

Navidi was never a better player than Lydiate, he was very underrated. He was a very good player but unfortunately injuries ruined his career, just look up Lydiate vs France. He made tackling look like an art.

[@stormwing2614]

Warburton always put his body on the line for Wales and was a tremendous captain. My hat is tipped to you sir.

[@montybrewster7]

What a player, what a captain & an out & out welsh legend.

[@stormwing2614]

Sam Warburton took up the mantle from another great Welsh captain in Ryan Jones and followed on the dedication, heart, guts and amazing leadership. He was then followed by another great in Alun Wyn Jones. We have been so lucky.

[@kaijones3853]

I feel like Sam Warburton was such a complete player. Had decent hands, pace, good in the contact, unreal at the breakdown, but it's his IQ that is underrated. In defence, He knew when to go low, when to hit high and knew when to hold a player up. He's basically Reffel and Morgan in one. Feel like if he had a good world cup in 2019, he would be talked about as one of the all time greats.

[@opc8120]

Ahhhh the gold old days

[@steverance1874]

Full Respect for a truly great player. England fan

[@ozanbeak2437]

Such a player, him and pocock are the best jacklers of all time

[@1unsung971]

What a magnificent athlete. Truly a warrior. RESPECT Mr Warburton.

[@Jonesyb90]

He was just incredible, a phenomenal footballer and a huge loss when he retired.

[@EdwardKeen-yq3to]

I llllllooooovvvveeee your videos they always make me smile

[@gaffers446]

Should have his tackle against Vincent Clerc in those clips. Peach of a hit. Never a red. And I am fully prepared to die on that hill (Starts playing "For Whom The Bell Tolls - Metallica")

[@sd5712]

North slapping mike browne always makes me laugh 😂 mike the mug

[@symeremeyers4148]

While other top opensides of his time were better than him at particular skills such as Sean O Brien being a better ball carrier or Pocock being a better jackaller , Warburton was so good in literally EVERY facet of the game

[@5tuartGuy]

french referee in a nutshell "leave it, ok play on"

[@Yourweakminds]

Yes- it was UNREAL how, as captain, he speared a fella , and blew the only chance wales will ever have of winning the World Cup! UNREAL.

[@AndrewDavidForde]

Stupid observation on all counts but particularly how Wales also had a chance of winning it in 2019, 2011 was not their only chance ever.

[@toftb6607]

there's history preserved in this clip - at 0:48, Richie McCaw comes through the gate

[@ethanwaitforitdavis]

Forget how good he was sometimes!

[@jukeseyable]

mark of a cgreat that did all of the dirty work, often passing under the radar, but been extremely influential on the game

[@jamestaylor1347]

Got to be one of the strongest players we've ever had.

[@gprugby]

Legend!

[@Duggytripitier07]

I could be wrong but it looks like he supported his weight with his right hand on the pitch, just before he goes into a jackle, which I thought was illegal? 11.25 Otherwise, he was a legend to the game!

[@hughstark4882]

I don’t think it was illegal back then? But I’m not fully sure

[@nikolakozhuharov1042]

@@hughstark4882 when you're not supporting your bodyweight you're off feet and when you're off feet you're out of play. Always illegal. That's by the letter of the law though, what's being penalised is up to refs. The difference between then and now is obvious.

[@hughstark4882]

@@nikolakozhuharov1042fair enough then I didn’t know that

[@jukeseyable]

@@nikolakozhuharov1042 not initially it got made illegal during warburtons time, got labeled as dragging, going beyond the ball, then have the opposition hit, knock you back onto the ball) the law got changed as you had to have your hands directly onto the ball, Sam addapted to this, go back, look at his and wales penalty count in the matches he played in. It is extrodinary how few pens he gave away, the finest break down opperator

[@nikolakozhuharov1042]

@@jukeseyable great players play to the whistle. It would be very stupid to assume Warburton or McCaw wouldn't be as successful with today's refereeing - they would adapt as you pointed out. About the rest that you say - my POV is they didn't change the law, they started interpreting it differently. I may be wrong of course.

[@extremesportsify]

Quality

[@heymofo1981]

bring back the tackle and jackal

[@stuartwilliams-fw4vo]

Warburton is full of hot air.

[@Sheppy619]

hands on the floor almost every turnover lol

[@lankon1991]

Was allowed in the laws back then.

[@AndrewDavidForde]

@@lankon1991 as far I know hands on the floor is allowed as long as it’s clear you’re not using it to support your body weight. But I’m sure SW is using his hands to support his body weight in these clips so would certainly be penalised by today’s standards!!

[@jukeseyable]

MaCaw was permantly off side, that was elegal at the time , but never got pinged for it, shit refereeing or great play, depends what side your on, but as andrew said, it was legal back then, it got made elegal in warbutrons time, (got labeled as dragging, going beyond the ball, then have the opposition hit, knock you back onto the ball) the law got changed as you had to have your hands directly onto the ball, Sam addapted to this, go back, look at his and wales penalty count in the matches he played in. It is extrodinary how few pens he gave away, the finest break down opperator

[@miguelangel3254]

Always 1 hand planted on the floor, some call that "a kwagga".

[@tommav]

Great player, but wouldn't be half as effective these days

[@deanjones5545]

Warbs, Tips and Faletau would have walked into any team in the world as a back three.

[@christhurtell2316]

A lot of those rucks he was not supporting his body weight at all.

[@silviodante3950]

Remember when Scotland won or even just challenged for a trophy? Na me neither 👍

[@christhurtell2316]

@@silviodante3950what on earth has that got to do with me commenting on sam warbutons rucking 😂.

[@timslade5808]

It’s gas half the turnovers he won in this video would be a penalty against him these days the way the ruck is refereed

[@richarddavies1731]

Yeah but he would have just adapted to the rules now same as everyone else now

[@cedricos20]

You watch a Ritchie McCaw video and you can say the same, only saying Sam would be allowed to tie his boots.... maybe

[@DM-rp9ik]

How did this guy captain the Lions

[@elgido3207]

If you don't appreciate him, you know nothing about rugby!

[@DM-rp9ik]

@elgido3207 Couldn't beat New Zealand or Australia without the Lions phoned it in for his club. Tiputic was the better 7, and he had to miss out for this guy Gatlands pet absolute fraud

[@AndrewDavidForde]

@@DM-rp9ik you really think one individual player can win a game against New Zealand or Australia (or any other team really for that matter) by himself in a team game? This is a really weird take

[@DM-rp9ik]

@AndrewDavidForde He took a place from better players and lives off it

[@AndrewDavidForde]

@@DM-rp9ik he didn’t pick the team and that’s frankly a ridiculous statement. He was a superb rugby player.