Former British and Irish Lions captain Gavin Hastings has backed Sam Warburton to impress during the summer tour of Australia.

Warburton, 24, has been handed the captaincy for the tour, but is doubtful for the clash with Barbarians this weekend due to injury.

"Warburton is a guy that played very, very well at the end of the Six Nations, and on his day he is as good a rugby player as any on these shores," Hastings told BBC Sport.

"He is a young man, but he's got a huge amount of experience and I think he will know how to get the best out of the players and will certainly lead by example."

Warburton is the Lions' youngest-ever skipper.