Sam Warburton has defended his decision to sign a central contract with the Welsh Rugby Union.

The Wales captain put pen to paper on a three-year deal with the WRU, which means that he will no longer be under direct contract with Cardiff Blues but will continue to play for the club when not on international duty.

The 25-year-old openside flanker has been criticised for the move, but he insists that he did nothing wrong.

"I think central contracts can work, and will work," he wrote in his column for The Telegraph. "I am sure more Wales players will sign up, and it will become clear that it is not the WRU competing against the regions.

"It is about everyone working together. I told the union I only wanted to sign a central contract if I could play for the Cardiff Blues.

"I am Cardiff through and through and would find it uncomfortable playing for anyone else. If I had not been able to play for the Blues, it would have been back to the drawing board."

Warburton has been named on the Wales bench for their Six Nations opener against Italy at home on Saturday.