Sam Warburton is one of the most respected pundits in rugby media circles
Sam Warburton says he has one more British Lions tour in him before he will consider stepping away from broadcasting.
The former Wales and Lions skipper hung up his boots at the tender age of just 29, having achieved a huge amount in a career curtailed by injury. Boasting one of the finest CVs in the game, Warburton transferred his excellence on the pitch into his media duties, and the 36-year-old has now established himself as one of the finest analysts of the game.
Former Cardiff man Warburton writes an insightful column for The Times and is a regular pundit on the BBC, TNT Sports and Sky Sports, covering both domestic and international rugby.
He was a staple during the Lions tour this summer, serving as Sky’s in-studio expert, providing insight into the game’s more complicated facets and explaining them in more understandable terms.
Speaking to Jim Hamilton on his podcast, The Big Jim Show, Warburton says being involved in front of the camera is a real privilege but understands that pundits – like players – all have their shelf lives, and that at some point in the future he will step back. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
“I will always preach for the Lions, it has to exist,” he began. “It’s such a phenomenal thing. Sky have obviously done it a lot of times. They know how to do the Lions.
“I really enjoyed the coverage, it’s lovely to dip into it, I still pinch myself now when I lift up the mattress at home in my bed, I’ve got nothing in my house by the way, no rugby memorabilia, and then I see an old Lions kitbag with my initials on it, like ‘I can’t believe I’ve done that’.”
Praising Australia for the way they recovered in the series this summer to make it a real arm wrestle, he added: “I was really pleased Australia bounced back and answered a lot of critics.
“There was a lot or pressure to turn up for that Lions tour. It was great, really enjoyed the coverage, it’s always a privilege to be involved in that.
“I think I’ve got about one more tour left in me, as a broadcaster, I’ve sort of set my sights on, if I can get to 40, 44, I think I’ll end up sort of leaving the TV.
“In four years’ time it will be the New Zealand tour, obviously 12 years before that I was on that tour as captain, but beyond that then there’s been a whole 12-year cycle without me. I know that’s the lifecycle of broadcasting and same when you are playing, there will be the next Lions captain who’s coming through who has interesting things to say.
“So I think I’ll probably go into a different aspect of life.
“If I can do the broadcasting for another four, five, six years I would imagine by then I’ll be old news and somebody else will come along and I’ll end up having to leave the broadcasting.
“You can smell the coffee when you start noticing you might not be as sharp as you used to be, and when that comes it’s just like a player, I’ll be like ‘now is my time to go’. You sort of become that annoying presenter. Maybe if I can get another four years out of this game it will be decent.”
Hamilton, though, was quick to tell Warburton to not be too hasty in hanging up his microphone too soon.
“Don’t… you can’t put a time on it,” Hamilton began.
“The self-awareness, I get that, I’m all for that. But there are a few guys delivering the sport the way it should be delivered and having maybe the uncomfortable conversations and relaying what the sport actually is, and you are one of those guys.
“So don’t put a timescale on it!”