IRB Rugby World Cup
Final or bust for Wales captain Sam Warburton
PA Sport
August 26, 2015
Sam Warburton
Sam Warburton© Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images


Sam Warburton has underlined Wales' burning desire to go "one step further" than four years ago when he leads his country on a Rugby World Cup mission next month that is fraught with danger.

Wales almost achieved things the hard way in 2011, emerging from a World Cup group that included southern hemisphere heavyweights South Africa before making an agonising semifinal exit against France when they were beaten 9-8 despite seeing Warburton sent off midway through the first half and scrummaging colossus Adam Jones depart injured even earlier.

And this time around is set to be just as tough, with host nation England and twice-World Cup winners Australia standing imposingly in Wales' quarterfinal path this time around. At least one of these three nations will crash from World Cup contention three weeks before the final, with Fiji also in contention to cause an upset. 

"We definitely want to go one step further," Wales captain Warburton told Press Association Sport. "All the players get asked questions about the last World Cup, and it's always the 'what if' question. No one really knows what would have happened. It's impossible to say.

"With Adam Jones going off pretty early - he was arguably the No.1 tighthead in the world at that time, and the scrum is so important against France - that was probably as much a killer blow as my red card, really.

"It is impossible to answer what would have happened, but the spine of the team this time is pretty similar, with everyone probably 30 or 40 caps better off."


The Welsh flanker is adamant that the upset of four years ago will prove valuable experience coming into this year's event, with the togetherness of group also improving since last time out along with the confidence Gatland instills in the players. 

"The leadership group we've got in the squad as a whole is so much better than it was four years ago, which makes my job a lot easier as well," added the 26-year-old.

"I do feel that I am a slightly different player when I am playing under Warren for Wales. He gives me a heck of a lot of confidence, and I think that brings out some of my better rugby.

"Some of the best games I've played have been under Warren's guidance. A lot of the things I have achieved in my career, a massive part of that is due to Warren."

This will be Warburton's second World Cup as the Wales skipper and his side start their campaign against Fiji on 20th September in Cardiff.

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