Sam Warburton’s four-month injury is a good thing for Wales, according to former flanker Martyn Williams, as it will allow the Lions superstar to rediscover his best form.

Warburton is out for the rest of the year after being told he requires surgery on a long-standing neck injury, which he further aggravated this week.

He will miss key Wales fixtures against Australia and New Zealand in November, as well as half the Pro 14 and Challenge Cup campaigns with Cardiff Blues.

Yet Williams, a fellow Lions great, has urged Wales to look at the bigger picture - Warburton will be fresh for the Six Nations and, after a gruelling Lions tour, is in need of a long rest.

“He won’t be looking at it as a benefit and when you are playing you never see it that way, you never want to miss games,” he said.

“But from experience, I have done a similar thing – I was out for a long time after a Lions tour and it helped me in that season.

“It is a long year and he has played so much rugby. It is never good to have an operation admittedly because you never know how you will come back but he will be fresh for the Six Nations.

“It is perfect timing in a way. I have been there myself and, as tough as it is to watch those autumn Test matches, it will make him hungrier to get back.

“He is also used to this as well, he knows what it takes to rehab and get back so he will be fine.”

Although losing a player of Warburton’s calibre is never ideal, Wales do have the strength in depth to cope and Williams insist it is the one area they can afford to lose a key body.

“The back row is where we can cover things,” he added.

“If we can get a back row with [Taulupe] Faletau, [Justin] Tipuric and [Ross] Moriarty then that is still as good as anything else in the northern hemisphere.

“Hopefully Sam will be back for the 6 Nations but his leadership will certainly be missed.”

Although Warburton will not be seen until the Six Nations next year, Wales will be reunited with head coach Warren Gatland after a 12-month hiatus to coach the Lions.

And the New Zealander has plenty of work to do after they finished a disappointing fifth in the Six Nations this year under Rob Howley.

However, Williams is optimistic they can regain their best form quickly and has urged them to look to the future – not the past.

“I just want to see us beat Australia, because it has been a long time since we have beaten them and we have the players to do it,” he said.

“We all want to beat New Zealand, but we have waited a long time for that, but if we want to be taken seriously then we have to start winning three out of four games in the autumn.

“You do have two-year cycles. Now the Lions is out of the way, it is full steam ahead to the World Cup.

“People say it starts four years ago, but I don’t believe that. I think this autumn is the first stepping stone to Japan.

“It will be interesting to see selection and see which players breakthrough in the autumn.”

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