Warburton to give Welsh rugby one more year before making a decision

Lions captain Sam Warburton has revealed that his looming decision about whether to join the player exodus from Welsh rugby will depend in part on how Cardiff Blues fare in the Heineken Cup this season.

The 24-year-old flanker is currently recovering from a hamstring injury sustained in the second Test against Australia – a week before the Lions rounded off their tour with an emphatic victory in the series decider in Sydney.

Warburton is confident he can keep to a 16-week rehabilitation timetable in order to be fit by the end of October, prior to Wales’ four-match autumn campaign against South Africa, Argentina, Tonga and the Wallabies.

Captain fantastic: Warburton is congratulated after the Lions’ series victory over Australia in July

However, the openside told Sportsmail on Wednesday that his primary objective at this stage is returning to full fitness in order to take part in the Blues’ latest European crusade.

He described the Heineken Cup as his ‘motivation’ during these long days and weeks in the gym, but it is also a major factor when it comes to his future plans.

Warburton is out of contract at the end of this season and wealthy French clubs will be poised to make their move if he does not agree terms with the Blues by the New Year.

With Jamie Roberts and Dan Lydiate joining the likes of Mike Phillips, James Hook, Lee Byrne and Luke Charteris across the Channel, there are fears that more big names will follow, including Leigh Halfpenny, Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones and Ian Evans.

Fun and games: Warburton was speaking ahead of the WRU’s launch of a bilingual, graphic comic-book to introduce a new national mascot – super-hero dragon ‘Scorch’

Wales coach Warren Gatland said earlier in the week that he believed the regions’ perennial failure to challenge in the continent’s premier tournament was a factor in the exodus and his Test captain echoed that view, saying: ‘We’ve had a taste of success with Wales in the last few years and it’s a massive incentive. If you are at a successful club, it is going to keep you there.

‘Look at Leinster and Leicester – very rarely do players leave top teams like that. The more successful the side, the better. Every player would rather win more often than not, and that would be a consideration.’

Once he is playing again, Warburton will aim to make an impact for the Blues in Heineken Cup, Pool Two, where they are up against mighty Toulon again, along with Exeter and Glasgow.

Qualification for the knock-out stages is a fundamental objective and he added: ‘It is one box that I haven’t ticked yet. I was a bit too young when the Blues got to the semi-final of the Heineken Cup (in 2009).

‘Since then, I’ve been on the bench for the Amlin Final, which we won, but you want to be in the Heineken Cup and it would be great to do well in that with the Blues.’

Key: Alex Cuthbert (left) has signed a new deal with Cardiff Blues, but Leigh Halfpenny (right) needs convincing

For the region, negotiations with

Warburton – and Halfpenny – over the coming months are of huge

significance, as they strive to build on their success in convincing

Lions wing Alex Cuthbert to sign a new deal. Yet, the injured flanker is

determined to take his time in considering his next move.

‘There’s not an offer on the table yet,’ said Warburton, who was speaking to mark Thursday’s launch by the WRU of a bilingual, graphic comic-book, to introduce young Welsh fans to a new national mascot – a ‘superhero dragon’ called Scorch.

‘We haven’t really looked to find one yet. I’ve had chats to my agent, but for now I’m just concentrating on getting fit.

‘The plan is to make a decision by the end of this year and it will be a rugby decision. I’m relaxed about it; I’m not in a rush to sign anything.

‘I have to think, “Where am I going to play my best rugby and have the best chance of playing for Wales and being successful with Wales?”.

National hero: Warburton is a key man for the Welsh national side, but will have to decide whether to stay in the national league with Cardiff Blues, his only club side to date

Those are the sort of questions you ask yourself, which is why you have to give it a few months, see how the season goes, then make a decision from there.’

Before Warburton reaches a decision over his future, he will hope to return to international action at the Millennium Stadium, but he is not assuming that he will be fit and firing by November.

‘It would be nice to be involved in those Tests, but I haven’t really set a goal of playing in the autumn, because it’s probably quite unrealistic for me right now,’ he said.

‘I’m not sure what my return date is.’ Whether he is involved or not, he has returned from the Lions Test triumph in Australia – one built on Welsh exploits – believing that it can have a positive knock-on effect for the national team.

‘I do feel that it has got the monkey off our backs,’ said Warburton. ‘It has given us a boost. I’ve always believed we could beat these sides anyway, but to actually do it is good for your confidence.’

Warburton to give Welsh rugby one more year before making a decision