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Gatland wants Warburton to sit out Blues' European play-offs
By Jack Davies
British and Irish Lions head coach Warren Gatland wants captain Sam Warburton to miss Cardiff Blues' European play-off campaign to ensure he is fully fit for the start of the tour to New Zealand.
The Lions begin their 10-match tour against the New Zealand Barbarians on June 3, before the Test series kicks off against the All Blacks in Auckland on June 24.
The Blues' seventh-place finish in this season's Pro12 saw them enter the play-off process for a Champions Cup berth, beginning with a semi-final against Stade Francais on Friday.
Northampton Saints or Connacht await the winner of that match but Gatland would prefer Warburton - who is recovering from a knee injury - to be omitted from coach Danny Wilson's plans.
"It would be ideal for us if he didn't play for the Blues,” Gatland is quoted as saying by the Telegraph.
"Sam thinks he is okay at the moment. The plan is that he will stay with us and do some hard conditioning work with contact as well."
Gatland wants all of his players fit and firing for the opening game.
"We struggled in 2009 in that first game [against Royal XV]," added Gatland. "It wasn't pretty.
"The opposition teams will relish a Lions scalp and my challenge is to communicate that to the squad.
"In the past it was provincial teams, not Super Rugby sides, and they will see it as a chance to make a name for themselves, do something special, create a bit of history."
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And they came from behind to win two big games before the final. No one can say what would have happened. Had the boks gone behind the game plan changes and the result may changes. Ifs and ands are irrelevant. The boks won. Neutral critics enjoyed the games they played. Its not a popularity contest. Get over it and move on.
Go to commentsI'm happy for the people of SA to get a second WC. And I mean that. I was very disappointed with this man's “stand on the hand” incident with Josh Van Der Flyer (Ireland). Ireland's downfall in the last WC was they did not rotate their first 15 as the head coach probably should have. That said, I'm happy for SA and genuinely hope it lifts the mood in their country. Ireland did beat them in the first match of the tournament. And before the trolls start trolling ….. please don't bother. Etzbeth said recently that the Irish players said after the match “see you in the final”…..this was actually wishing the SA team the best of luck in the rest, the Irish team were not dismissing the AB’s. This is what Etzbeth was implying. But he was wrong. I no longer live in Ireland. But I hope to see them lift that cup before I pass. Anyway, congratulations SA. 👍
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