Sam Warburton facts for kids
Warburton at the 2012 Grand Slam celebrations
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| Birth name | Sam Kennedy Warburton | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 5 October 1988 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Cardiff, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 15 st 8 lb (99 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Whitchurch High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Samuel Kennedy-Warburton, known as Sam Warburton, is a former Welsh rugby union player. He was born on October 5, 1988. Sam played for Cardiff Rugby and first joined the Wales national team in 2009.
He usually played as an openside flanker. This position is like a defender who also helps attack. In 2011, he became the captain for Wales. Later, he also led the British & Irish Lions team in 2013 and 2017. Sam held the record for captaining Wales the most times (49 games). He retired from rugby in July 2018 at age 29. This was because he had trouble recovering from neck and back surgeries.
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Growing Up and Starting Rugby
Sam Warburton was born in Wales. His parents were English. He considers himself Welsh and British. He has an older twin brother, Ben, who also played rugby. Ben is now a physiotherapist for another rugby team. Sam also has an older sister named Holly.
Their great-grandfather, George Reed, was a professional football player. He played many games for Leeds United in the 1920s and 1930s. Sam went to Whitchurch High School. He earned three A Levels there.
When he was younger, Sam loved football. He played for his school team with Real Madrid and Wales star Gareth Bale. At 14, Sam had a tryout with Cardiff City. But he decided to focus on rugby instead. He played for junior rugby teams like Rhiwbina RFC. He also played for Glamorgan Wanderers RFC while in the Cardiff Rugby Academy. On July 5, 2014, Sam married his long-time partner, Rachel Thomas. He is also a fan of the football club Tottenham Hotspur FC.
Sam's Rugby Journey
Sam Warburton played for Wales at all age levels. He was captain for the under-18, under-19, and under-20 teams. He led Wales to the semi-finals in the World Championships for both under-19 and under-20 teams. Sam made his first appearance for the senior Wales national team on June 6, 2009. This game was against the United States.
In 2010, he was chosen for the Wales squad for the Six Nations. He scored his first international try against Italy in the 2011 Six Nations. Sam became Wales' captain for the first time on June 4, 2011. He was only 22 years old. This made him the second-youngest Wales captain ever. He was named man of the match in a warm-up game against England. In August 2011, he was chosen as captain for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. This happened because the usual captain was injured.
Leading Wales in the 2011 Rugby World Cup
In the first game of the World Cup against South Africa, Sam became the youngest World Cup captain. He played a fantastic game, even though Wales lost 17–16. He was named man of the match. He helped his team by winning the ball back four times. He also made almost a quarter of Wales' tackles.
Sam continued to play well against Samoa. He made many tackles and helped Wales win 17–10. He also played well against Namibia. Wales then secured their spot in the quarter-finals by beating Fiji 66–0. Sam was a key player in this game. He made good runs and scored his second international try. Fans voted him the best player in Pool D. He was making the most turnovers in the tournament.
Wales then played Ireland in the quarter-final. Sam played a great game, making 21 tackles. Wales won 22–10, reaching the semi-final for the first time in 24 years. In the semi-final against France, Sam received a red card after 18 minutes. This meant he had to leave the game. The referee gave him the red card for a dangerous tackle. Sam later said he thought it should have been a yellow card. Even with the red card, many experts still called him the player of the tournament.
Winning the 2012 Six Nations Grand Slam
Sam Warburton remained captain for the 2012 Six Nations. However, he faced some injuries during this time. In the first game against Ireland, he left at half-time due to a leg injury. But Wales still won. He missed the game against Scotland.
He returned for the important game against England. Wales won 19–12. Sam played his best, making tackles and carrying the ball. He made an amazing try-saving tackle on an English player. This tackle helped Wales win. He was named man of the match for this game. However, he got a knee injury and missed the game against Italy. He returned for the final game against France. Wales won 16–9, claiming a Grand Slam! A Grand Slam means winning all games in the Six Nations. Sam lifted the trophy with one hand because his shoulder was injured. He felt bad for leaving the game early. He asked his teammates to share lifting the trophy, but they said it was his moment. His injury kept him out of play for six weeks.
Setting Captaincy Records
Sam Warburton broke the record for most games as Wales captain. He surpassed Ryan Jones's record of 33 caps. This happened against Ireland on March 14, 2015.
Leading the British & Irish Lions
Sam Warburton was chosen as captain for the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia. He was the youngest Lions captain ever at 24 years old. The Lions are a special team made up of the best players from England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. Sam led the team in the first game in Brisbane. The Lions won 23–21. Sam made the most tackles in that game.
He started the second game a week later. The Lions lost 16–15. Many people thought the game changed when Sam got injured and left the field. His hamstring injury meant he could not play in the final game. Alun Wyn Jones became captain for that game. The Lions won 41–16, winning their first series since 1997. After the match, Sam and Alun Wyn Jones lifted the trophy together. In April 2017, Sam was again chosen to captain the Lions for their tour to New Zealand.
International Tries
| Try | Opponent | Location | Venue | Competition | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Italy |
Rome, Italy | Stadio Olimpico | 2011 Six Nations | 26 February 2011 | Win |
| 2 |  Fiji |
Hamilton, New Zealand | Waikato Stadium | 2011 Rugby World Cup | 2 October 2011 | Win |
| 3 |  France |
Cardiff, Wales | Millennium Stadium | 2014 Six Nations | 21 February 2014 | Win |
| 4 | Italy |
Rome, Italy | Stadio Olimpico | 2015 Six Nations | 21 March 2015 | Win |
| 5 |  Japan |
Cardiff, Wales | Millennium Stadium | 2016 Autumn Internationals | 19 November 2016 | Win |
Honours
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Sam Warburton has won many awards and titles throughout his career:
Cardiff Rugby
- European Challenge Cup: 2009–10
Wales
- Six Nations Championship:
- Winner (2): 2012, 2013
- Grand Slam Winner (1):2012
- Triple Crown Winner (1):2012
In 2013, the University of South Wales gave him an Honorary Fellowship. This is a special award for his achievements.
See also
In Spanish: Sam Warburton para niños
