1. Be true to yourself

Sam admits he’s a naturally introvert which is not what people might anticipate from a rugby captain: “You’d expect a really big, alpha-male, dominant figure,” says the ex-player. But one of the best pieces of advice he received was to be true to himself, so he learned to do things his own way.

If you try and fake things, people see straight through it. Sam Warburton

“I always did what made me happy and what I thought was right,” says Sam. He wasn’t afraid to stay sober, despite the peer pressure to drink, because he knew it was right for him.

“If you try and fake things, people see straight through it,” says Sam. “I’ve seen captains try to be someone they’re not and it stands out like a sore thumb.”

Figure out what your own strengths are, who you are as a person and how you want to lead in your own style.

2. Reach for the stars

When Sam was young a teacher said to him, “Reach for the stars because if you fail, you’ll still reach the sky.” It’s something he’s always held on to.

Although not everyone will be blessed with tackling or kicking ability, “it doesn’t take any talent to get up off the floor, to work hard or to get up early and train,” he says.

It’s not the tools you’re born with but being driven that’s important: “If you want to get to the very top of something, you’ve got to have a deep underlying passion and self-motivating power.”

3. Be professional

“I always prided myself on trying to be the best professional that I could ever be,” Sam says. “I made sure I ate the right foods, didn’t go out, didn’t misbehave and looked after my body.”

He thinks this approach gave him a psychological edge over the opposition: “I knew when I took to the pitch, I was in the best possible shape that I could be.”

It’s not about total abstinence, admits the ex-captain. He’d still go and have a pizza in the week: “You need those little rewards along the way otherwise you just drive yourself mad and it’s not sustainable long-term.”