Howley explains Warburton call

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Wales interim head coach Rob Howley has explained his decision to hand the captaincy to Gethin Jenkins rather than Sam Warburton.

Wales interim head coach Rob Howley has explained his decision to hand the captaincy to Gethin Jenkins rather than Sam Warburton.

Warburton was named Wales captain at the start of the Six Nations but lost the armband due to injury, with Ryan Jones leading the sides in three successive victories against France, Italy and Scotland.

Jones has since been ruled out of the final game with England due to a shoulder injury and while many expected the captaincy to return to Warburton, Jenkins has indeed been given the nod.

“I spoke to Sam,” said Howley.

“I think as a coach you have a gut feeling about a player and how he feels, and you always take a player's form into consideration.

“With Sam, the way he played against Scotland, the gut feeling was that I would rather he focused on his own game.

“That is how I saw it, and you have to make those difficult decisions when they come. It is in the best interests of the national team to be best prepared for England this weekend that Gethin Jenkins captains this side.”