Image: Sam Warburton; The Velindre Cancer Centre, Cardiff
Most rugby fans already know how many caps, tries and trophies Sam Warburton has amassed. So we’re here to reveal the most unusual facts you probably didn’t know about the former British & Irish Lions captain.
Sam Warburton is one of the finest rugby players of his generation, captaining Wales and the British & Irish Lions to multiple successes in his short yet illustrious 9-year career. If you’ve watched the insightful documentary ‘Sam Warburton: Full Contact’, you’ll know just how many injuries he sustained during his rugby career, as well as his incredible achievements.
However, there are some rather interesting facts not every rugby fan will know about the flanker. Read on to find out our top 5 unique facts about Sam.
Sam’s full name isn’t Sam Warburton
First things first, Sam’s real surname is Kennedy-Warburton.; Kennedy from his mother’s side of the family and Warburton from his father’s side. However, he jokingly admitted that his doubled-barrelled surname is "a bit of a mouthful and too posh to play for Wales!"
His dogs are named after Tottenham Hotspur players
Ingrained in him from youth by his father, Sam Warburton is a huge supporter of Tottenham Hotspur. Although, Sam’s fandom goes further than your average Spurs supporter. Sam’s family dogs have been named after Tottenham legends ever since he was a child. Growing up, Sam’s family dogs were called Glenn after Glenn Hoddle, Ted after Teddy Sherringham, and Gus after ex-Spurs manager, Gus Poyet.
The Kennedy-Warburton’s pet naming tradition didn’t stop there. Sam’s sister’s dog is named Hugo, after Hugo Lloris, and other family names include Dawson after Michael Dawson and Alfie after Alfie Khan who was the first Tottenham player Sam’s father ever saw score a goal. Finally, Sam’s current dog, Ledley, is named after Ledley King.
Sam has some rather famous school friends
Sam went to Whitchurch High School just outside of Cardiff, which had around 2,500 students. In what the British & Irish captain describes as a "crazy coincidence", his alumni include, Geraint Thomas the Tour de France champion and Gareth Bale, four-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid.
His sporting hero isn’t a rugby player
In our exclusive interview with Sam Warburton, we asked if he’s ever been starstruck and he was instantaneous in his answer; Ledley King. Sam explained that on a trip to Tottenham he was ‘terrified’ when introduced to Spurs legend Ledley King. He admitted that he is "the only person I’ve ever asked for a photo!". Sam ensures us that since then he has met him a couple of more times and plays it cooler.
He does a lot of work for Charity
Sam Warburton is a long-serving patron of Velindre, a specialist cancer treatment centre located on the perimeter of Cardiff. He made a staggering donation of £10,000 to the charity this year. With members of his family who have been through tough times with the disease, Sam’s adamant that by clubbing together "we can beat cancer once and for all."
He also told us of other donations to Battersea Dogs Home and to a children’s hospice in London explaining that "being able to try and use your profile to try to raise money to help other people’s lives is really satisfying."
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