Wales captain Sam Warburton is among four players who have re-signed national dual contracts ahead of the autumn Tests. The Welsh Rugby Union announced on Friday that Warburton, his backrow colleague Dan Lydiate, prop Samson Lee and back Hallam Amos have all put pen to paper.

Warburton, 28, became the first player to sign a national contract with the WRU in January 2014, which then evolved into a national dual contract with his regional team Cardiff Blues.

Lydiate joined the Ospreys from French club Racing 92 on a dual contract, while Newport Gwent Dragons’ Amos first signed in December 2014 and Scarlets forward Lee a month later.

The contracts are 60 per cent funded by the WRU, with a player’s region paying the rest. And the WRU’s announcement comes just eight days before Wales kick off their autumn series against Australia in Cardiff, which is followed by appointments with Argentina, Japan and South Africa on successive weekends.