Former Wales and British and Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton announced his retirement from rugby union on this day in 2018 due to injuries at the age of 29.

Warburton, whose announcement was released jointly by the Welsh Rugby Union and his regional team Cardiff Blues, had undergone knee and neck surgery the previous year.

He said: “Unfortunately, after a long period of rest and rehabilitation, the decision to retire from rugby has been made with my health and well-being as a priority as my body is unable to give me back what I had hoped for on my return to training.”

Warburton is one of only two players to have skippered the Lions on two separate tours, emulating England’s Martin Johnson, and never lost a Test series.

With Warburton as skipper, the Lions beat Australia 2-1 in 2013 and drew the 2017 series against New Zealand. He also led Wales to Six Nations glory twice, including the 2012 Grand Slam.

The Cardiff-born flanker, whose final match was in the drawn third Test against New Zealand at Eden Park in July 2017, also steered Wales to the 2011 World Cup semi-finals.

He captained his country in 49 of his 74 appearances and led the Lions five times.

Despite a long list of injuries throughout his playing career, Warburton was among the world’s best openside flankers, with fearless, critical work at the breakdown proving his major strength.

Current Wales head coach Warren Gatland, who appointed Warburton as Wales skipper in 2011 and to lead both Lions tours that the New Zealander was head coach of, led the tributes to Warburton.

“He is an outstanding rugby player and he has brought so much to the game, on and off the pitch,” Gatland said.

“His leadership, attitude and demeanour, along with his performances, have placed Sam up there as one of the best and most respected players in the world.”

Eddie Jones will make an immediate impact on his return to Australia, for which "there was always writing on the wall", according to former England captain Chris Robshaw.

Jones was dismissed by England in December but replaced Dave Rennie as the Wallabies' coach on Sunday, taking up a role he previously held between 2001 and 2005.

Defeats in November to France, Ireland and particularly Italy proved the final straw for New Zealander Rennie, paving the way for Jones to return in time for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

The Australian was in charge when the Wallabies lost to England in the 2003 World Cup final, and Robshaw always expected Jones to return in a bid to complete unfinished business.

Speaking on behalf of Sage, powering the Smart Ball at the Six Nations, Robshaw told Stats Perform: "He was a proud Australian man and I think there was always writing on the wall that one day he will be back in Australia coaching.

"They're in a bit of a tough place in terms of their confidence. They had a tough tour in England, and it's no doubt he'll be able to go and shake things up and have an immediate impact.

"It is his man-management, which is brilliant, and his ability to get the best out of people because they have a good team and they have some good players.

"But how do you turn it around quickly and generally? That's all kind of up in the air."

Jones will aim for glory at the World Cup in September, having led both Australia and England – in 2019 – to the final as well as defeating South Africa with underdogs Japan in 2015.

Former British and Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton believes Jones wants to be on the biggest stage to shine, as does Warren Gatland, who made a similar return to retake the role as Wales coach.

Warburton said: "I like him, and at least in the same way as Warren [Gatland], they're international coaches. They need that international kick.

"I can't imagine Eddie being a club coach anymore, same with Warren. I think Warren wanted to just be back in the international helm and Eddie wants to be back in the international helm.

"In front of 80,000 people, he will turn to a press conference of people talking about pressure, he'll be laughing inside, he wouldn't be doing the job this long at such a high level if he didn't truly love it.

"I really respect him. He's gone straight back into the deep end with international rugby with Australia, and he's got a World Cup; that's what he needs to thrive, so it is not really surprising.

"If you said in the Autumn Series, Warren Gatland and Eddie Jones are going to clash somewhere in the World Cup, then you'd be thinking how was that going to be. 

"I don't think anyone would have thought it would have been Wales and Australia. Compared to where we were three months ago, it is a great story, and it's going to develop a great subplot going into the group stage of the World Cup."

The Rugby Football Union's (RFU) claim England made progress during a tough Six Nations campaign has been criticised by ex-international Ugo Monye, who called their statement "dishonest".

Eddie Jones' side finished a distant third behind Ireland and Grand Slam winners France, managing just two wins from their five games.

It marked a second successive dismal Six Nations, far removed from reaching the final of the 2019 World Cup that marked the high point of the Australian's tenure in charge.

Now, a year-and-a-half out from the 2023 World Cup in France, the RFU has sought to frame their results as stepping stones, but Monye – a 14-time England international – believes such claims are untruthful.

"I want to know who in the RFU thinks that signifies progress and are happy with how things are," Monye told BBC Sport's Rugby Union Daily podcast.

"Fundamentally it's just dishonest. There isn't progress. With the financial backing, the player pool and the coaching staff they have you cannot be winning two out of five games two years in a row.