Welsh Rugby
Warburton will not join French exodus
ESPNscrum Staff
April 12, 2012
Wales skipper Sam Warburton shows off his array of skills, Cardiff, March 16, 2012
Sam Warburton will not join the exodus to France © Getty Images
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Wales skipper Sam Warburton has rubbished suggestions he will join the exodus to France.

With the likes of Lee Byrne and Mike Phillips already plying their trade in the Top 14 Orange and fellow Welsh internationals Luke Charteris and Gethin Jenkins set to join them, Warburton has revealed that he is not tempted by the cross-Channel switch.

After a series of impressive performances for both club and country, Warburton's signature is in demand but he is adamant that he will see out the remainder of his current deal with the Cardiff Blues which has two years left on it.

"This bubble in France has got to burst," Warburton told Wales Online. "If you took the French out of the equation I don't think anyone would be panicking about our game. You talk to players and the money they are being offered is absurd, there is no comparison.

"In fact, it's not far off football standards and I never thought rugby would get near that. If anybody in any job was offered four or five times the money then 90%, if not more of them, would take it.

"So while a lot of people will be upset they are leaving, you have to think about the opportunities, they have to make their families secure. After all, a lot of players aren't from privileged backgrounds.

"But I have two years left at the Blues and nobody is going to buy you out of a two-year contract, so there hasn't really been a discussion between me and my agent. Players do talk about hypothetical situations but at the moment I am a bit of a home-bird to be honest.

"I say it every year with the Blues - I'd like to see if we can achieve something. But I do still have that goal and to be able to do it with guys I came through the academy with would be great.

"If offers come in a couple of years time I will cross that bridge then. I'm not sure if there will be bigger emphasis on youth next year or whether players will be recruited, but we still have a core of international players which leaves me still excited for next year."

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