Sam Warburton takes rugby writers' top award

Wales' World Cup captain Sam Warburton has beaten tournament-winning coach Graham Henry to the the Rugby Union Writers Club's personality of 2011.

Cardiff Blues flanker Warburton also beat retired Wales wing Shane Williams and France captain Thierry Dusautoir to the Pat Marshall Memorial Award.

Media members praised Warburton for his dignified response to being sent off in the semi-final against France.

Warburton, 23, was the youngest captain at the tournament.

He led Wales in a tournament in which they secured their best finish since 1987, finishing fourth in New Zealand having been third in the inaugural tournament.

RUWC chairman Paul Morgan said: "Sam has had an exemplary year, leading Wales with great dignity, marking himself out as one of the leading candidates to captain the [British and Irish] Lions in 2013.

"He's a worthy recipient of the Pat Marshall Trophy, just beating Graham Henry in a poll of rugby media. He joins an illustrious list of winners."


The RUWC's special award also went to one of Warburton's predecessors in the Wales number seven jersey.

Richard Parks scaled the highest peak on each of the seven continents and hiked to both poles within seven months for charity
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/16479229.stm

Fair play to Parks in particular

Good on him...

Fair play to Parks but in my view SW should not have won.

SW Gained a lot of respect from the rugby public with the way he dealt with his sending off post WC & only 23

Well done to both of them

But at the same time, he was the perpetrator of a piece of dangerous play that by his own admission was worthy of a red card in the most important match for Wales since 1987. I find it hard to hand out plaudits for that.

miteyironpaw wrote:But at the same time, he was the perpetrator of a piece of dangerous play that by his own admission was worthy of a red card in the most important match for Wales since 1987. I find it hard to hand out plaudits for that.

However he did hold up his hand and admit that it was worthy of a red card and that he accepted responsibility for his actions. I think he handled himself quite well. An unfortunate piece of youthful over-enthusiasm in which he emerged not a promising youngster who blew his chance at captaining his team, but rather someone who could be considered Lions captain next year due to his maturity at a young age.

Assuming the credentials for a captain as someone who was likely to lose it at a crucial moment and then gallantly accept his short comings later...

Fair enough miteypaw,

Personally I think that it was a clear red card offense (not just letter of law but a fully deserved red card)

I was very impressed with how he conducted himself throughout the tournament and in the aftermath of such a big incident.

Agreed. He was stellar afterwards. It's a shame the same couldn't be said for ITV's commentary team, who I thought were insensitive to the situation. I guess they didn't receive a writers award.

To be fair, imagine the the feelings he would have been going through at the time of the interview, he lead his country to the semi-final of a world cup, then (roundly accepted that) he blew a probably final-place with his individual mistake in that tackle.

The way he handled himself was exlempory and in my book you would not have had a reaction that down to earth from 90% of rugby players, especially a 22 year old at his first world cup, leading his country.

Comfort wrote:The way he handled himself was exlempory and in my book you would not have had a reaction that down to earth from 90% of rugby players, especially a 22 year old at his first world cup, leading his country.

Agree entirely.

To be fair, it's been a feature of the Welsh side to handle themselves very well in the post match interviews.

Shane Williams put in some stunning displays in the post match

To be honest I was just happy that Warburton didnt end the interview with "although we lost, we all know that Wales can beat anyone on their day".

He'd read Gatland and Edward's crib notes and knew they'd bring it up later.

"Why dee French?" That was a Lebanese comment directed at observers when French peace keepers arrived as part of the UN.

"Why dee French?"

Thierry Dusautoir might say the same thing. Why is it always us that gets nothing? No matter what some of those French guys do, there's always someone better than them.

Warburton is young and he lead like a general. Deserves praise. But Dusautoir is Patton. An old warhorse who dragged his dreadful team (in deed not in talent) through the WC and almost snatched it in the final.

What do these French guys have to do to get any credit? Speak English? Oh right. Carry on.

What do these French guys have to do to get any credit? Speak English? Oh right. Carry on.

You say that despite the fact that Dusautoir has already taken the IRB award

Some aspects of Dusautoir's leadership were distinctly less convincing than Warburton's throughout 2011 in any case. The losses to Italy and Tonga need no mention and in the two games combined that Wales played France Warbs lasted less than half an hour for varying reasons. And yet in the latter game Dusautoir's France arguably came off second best against Warburton-less Wales in every aspect but the boot and effectively the scoresheet.

Warburton, still at the dawn of his career, led Wales to their most threatening state in a WC since 1987 while not many haven't conceded that France were highly lucky to be anywhere near the final.

Good on him for gaining the accolade. On an aside. The rugby writers club is a group of fleet street (or largely UK) journalists founded in a pub isn't it?

...not many haven't conceded that France were highly lucky to be anywhere near the final.

Bizarre isn't it? France were in the final because Canada beat Tonga.

Well done to Sam, he is an upstanding young man.

But I am absolutely shocked.

How did they not give PDV this award. I mean let's ponder for a moment the entertaining personality of PDV.

He must be absolutely gutted.