British and Irish Lions 2021: Sam Warburton backs Warren Gatland to make history
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Warren Gatland and Sam Warburton during the British and Irish Lions' squad announcement for the 2017 tour of New Zealand
Former British and Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton believes Warren Gatland can cement his legacy in South Africa.
After leading the squad to a series victory in Australia eight years ago and a draw against New Zealand in 2017, Gatland completes the set against the Springboks this summer.
"Even now he is probably the most successful Lions head coach with two undefeated tours," said Warburton.
"To do three would see him cement himself as an icon of Lions rugby."
Warburton was Lions captain for the past two tours under Gatland.
"He is already a Lions great but to have three unbeaten Test tours under his belt would be tough to beat and a record that would probably stand for a long time," added Warburton.
Wales lock Alun Wyn Jones has taken over as skipper and Warburton believes the second-row is the perfect person to navigate the side through a tour like no other.
The 37-man squad will have to prosper in its own bubble for almost two months with no travelling fans because of Covid-19.
Jones has 148 caps for Wales and played in nine Lions Tests on the last three tours before being handed the permanent captaincy.
Sam Warburton led the Lions to victory in the first Test against Australia in 2013 but a hamstring injury in the second Test meant Alun Wyn Jones was skipper for the final match of the series
Warburton said: "If you are going to pick anybody, there is nobody better prepared to do it as the world record cap holder and preparing for his fourth Lions tour.
"He will know a lot of the players through Wales and past Lions tours.
"He has already worked with Steve Tandy, Warren Gatland, Neil Jenkins and Robin McBryde and the analysts.
"If anybody is going to be able to organise things and get the culture right and get things going in the right direction, it's Alun Wyn."
Gatland and Jones will have to help the squad cope with the bubble, but Warburton believes it can act as a catalyst.
"I think it could be a good thing," he added.
"Lions tours survive because commercially it brings in so much revenue, which it has to, but in order to do that you have to do a lot of commercial and sponsorship events.
"In the first four to five weeks of the tour before the Test matches they front-load it with a lot of commercial responsibilities for players.
"So, on days off, you either do a sponsorship obligation or a public visit to a school or a hospital which is great and rewarding.
"You can't do those things now and the team can focus on playing.
"You will need to pick up morale at certain stages of the tour and that will be a challenge, but overall it could be a good thing.
"Sports psychologists are common these days and I would have had one available for pretty much my whole career.
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"To have somebody who is a mental skills coach, whatever you want to call them, that's regular and about a quarter to half of the squad will have a conversation with them.
"That will be an important part especially being away from home for such a long time."
Most of the Lions squad are in Jersey preparing for the game against Japan at Murrayfield on 26 June before flying out for the eight-match tour in South Africa.
Warburton insists there will be a blank canvas for all the players in the six games before the three-Test series against the world champions.
"If somebody has been in red-hot form and seems a shoo-in and has two opportunities to start on the tour and is terrible in both games, he is not starting the Test match," said Warburton.
"The coaches would have done an exercise where they know what their starting XV would be if it was tomorrow, but that will be up for negotiation and change.
"Players will be able to play themselves into the Test team based on the warm-ups and how they train.
"There will be people who would have been in the coaches' mind as a Test starter and, in a couple of weeks behind closed doors, they've maybe realised they are not.
"So the impression players can make in the six games before the Tests is important."
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That starts with Japan, who will be playing a first international since hosting the World Cup in 2019.
"It's going to be an important stepping stone, but it's going to be tricky," added Warburton.
"Japan always raise their game when they have the opportunity to play Tier 1 nations. I know they have not played much rugby for the first two years but neither have the Lions players.
"What the Lions have in their favour is they have had some Test-level exposure because that intensity is different. If there is one Tier 2 nation who is going to come and thrive on that occasion, given that shop window, it is Japan.
"They are not ideal preparation in terms of they are not going to pose the threat the Lions will face in a Test series against South Africa, but it will be great to get a run out for cohesion and togetherness."