Sam Warburton picks the five team-mates he'd want in his side when it really mattered

Wales legend Sam Warburton has named his top five teammates from his playing days, with some surprising names making the list.

The former Cardiff flanker - who retired from rugby in 2018 at the age of 29 - played at the very highest level during his career, making over 100 appearances for the region and captaining both Wales and the British & Irish Lions on the international stage. As well as a Challenge Cup with Cardiff, he won two Six Nations championships for Wales and played at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

His career also saw him play alongside some of the biggest names in Welsh and global rugby, with narrowing them down to just five proving a tricky task for Warburton as he joined comedian Mike Bubbins on new BBC Wales show Scrum V Top 5 to discuss them.

READ MORE:Stunning new rugby competition proposed with teams bidding for world's best players

READ MORE:England rugby star gets huge ban after physically abusing fan

"In rugby, you have the full spectrum of personalities and characters, but it is a mixture of things [that makes a good teammate], the former Wales skipper explained. "Obviously, they've got to be a good player, but then it's things like are they selfless as a team player, are they good influences on the rest of the group, are they really positive people?

"They're all extremely resilient characters, probably the most resilient characters you could come across, which is what you have to have. You have got to be unflappable on that level. I've pick them for pretty different reasons, but it's been a good exercise."

Kicking off the top five was a player that Warburton admitted "might surprise a lot of people", but one that he said most of his other Cardiff teammates would probably pick too - Blaine Scully. The USA legend played 52 times for the Arms Park side and quickly became a cult hero there, with Warburton singing his praises today.

"You know when you watch these documentaries and the Americans are so passionate, emotional, motivational. That's exactly what he was like, but I loved it. Blaine would get up and start talking, it was almost like a Martin Luther King speech, 'I Have a Dream! By the end of his two minute speech, people would be cheering and he would be smashing his chest - he was just an amazing motivator'.

"His influence on the players around him was amazing. He was a phenomenal teammate, I'd have him every single day of the week."

At number four was perhaps an even more surprising name for Wales fans to hear, with Warburton opting for former England skipper Owen Farrell. The fly-half has often proven to be the villain of the piece when Wales and England have met in the past, but while they were adversaries during the Six Nations, Warburton was blown away by Farrell when they represented the Lions together.

"Standards," said the ex-Wales star when asked why he'd picked the Racing 92 man. "Owen would drive those standards, you'd put him on the fines committee because he'll let you know about it. If you were out of position in training - not through human error but through not doing your due diligence and getting it wrong - he'll let you know about it and you won't get it wrong again.

"You need guys who drive those standards, because they're like 'this is what it takes to be the best in the world, so if you ain't jumping on board, just hop off now. Owen had a phenomenal rugby brain as well, a great tactician. He had a desperation to win and to get the best out of everyone."

The number three slot went to ex-Cardiff lock Paul Tito, who was captain for Warburton's first years at the club and was "so important" for the future Wales skipper's development.

"You need leaders filling you with confidence," said Warburton. "And he said to me once, when I was about 19 or 20, you'll be club captain here one day. I thought 'no way', I was like a mute, I couldn't speak. But he said 'trust me' and it was really empowering, even though I didn't believe it at the time.

Recalling how Tito accepted his decision not to drink at a team social, he added: "When people say leadership is about support and helping, that's it. I thought fair play, I respected him even more after that decision."

As for number two, Warburton chose his long-time Wales teammate Jamie Roberts. Asked why, he said: "From 2009 to the end of my tenure, that Wales 12 jersey was his. Every big game we played, he turned up. You have four or five massive games a year and you need your big players for that.

"You've got to get to a certain emotional place which is so uncomfortable, and you put so much pressure on yourself to perform. You can't do that week in, week out. Jamie always turned up for every big game, he was immense. He'd always be that guy for a huge bone-crunching tackle or a massive carry. He's the bravest ball carrier I've ever seen play the game, ever.."

There were some honourable mentions for Dan Lydiate and Taulupe Faletau, but who would get the number one spot? Well, that went to none other than Cardiff and Wales legend Gethin Jenkins.

"He was like having a coach on field," said Warburton. "When he won his 100th cap, Warren Gatland said he was probably one of the best professionals and most determined players that we've ever had. He was massively vocal on the pitch, even with the game moving at 100mph he saw things that I could never see.

"Boys like Gethin and Jamie, they felt like captains because they helped me so much. You learn off these people, you need these players. If I was playing England in Cardiff and we were down by five points with 10 minutes to go, who would I want in my team? I'd go Gethin.

"Well, I'd want Gethin and Jamie and Paul and Owen and Blaine. If I had those lads in that team, we'd solve it, we'd fix it."