On a cold evening in November 2014, Maro Itoje stopped by the Saracens car park to talk about his first experiences as a senior skipper. Here was a soft-spoken student who had just graduated from Harrow School and led the team to win the LV Cup against Harlequins.
‘As a young man, I feel like I need to be respected,’ he said. Sweat was still rolling down his forehead as he watched all the action take place on the screen. Itoje had only just turned 20 and had barely established himself in men’s rugby, but he was already being talked about as a future England star.
‘I want to bulk up a bit and try to break into the first team,’ he said of his international ambitions. ‘I’m only 20 years old, so I’d be quite disappointed if I had the same physique in 5 years!’
Insiders had pitched Itoje as the senior international captain from the beginning. Considering his reputation as a poet and scholar, he is prime minister. He is already an A-level student who led England to victory in the U-20 World Cup. From the beginning, his rise to the top felt like a rite of passage. It’s a case of when, not if. There was overestimation from the start, but it was backed up by Itoje’s performance.
Many thought his appointment as England captain would come sooner, but the process was not without its share of challenges. When Eddie Jones took over as England manager in 2015, the cool-headed Australian thought it all happened too easily. ‘Where is the wound?’ he asked him.
Jones tried to counter his Rolls-Royce fame, with the press comparing him to a Vauxhall Viva, but Itoje was hardly fazed. He was called up to the Lions in 2017 and has become accustomed to VIP treatment. His fame exploded and it wasn’t long before he was invited to appear alongside Anthony Joshua and visit the Miami home of American superstar rapper and music producer DJ Khaled. Just last week, coincidentally, he signed with the same management agency that represents England football team captain Harry Kane.
Maro Itoje has been appointed as England’s new captain ahead of the Six Nations.
It’s a role he always seemed destined for, but former coach Eddie Jones (left) was unconvinced by his leadership qualities.
Itoje led England Under-20s to World Cup glory in 2014 and will now lead his country with the senior national team as well.
But there was always uneasiness in his relationship with Jones, who was never confident about Itoje’s leadership credentials.
“I may be wrong, but I’m not sure Maro will be a future England captain,” Jones wrote in his book. ‘He will be one of the great players, but Maro is very inward-looking. He drives himself better than anyone else. He doesn’t usually influence people off the field.’
Back at Saracens, there was anger over Jones’ comments. Mr Itoje didn’t start playing rugby until he was a teenager and he wasn’t one to sing from the back of the bus. The museum is more important than his. Instead, he is leading by example through high-intensity displays. It is the pillar of physical strength and athletic performance.
He turned down a big-money move to Racing 92 last year and committed his future to Saracens, where he was appointed club captain in September. After keeping quiet about Jones, he responded diplomatically when his club captaincy was made public a few months ago.
‘I felt it was a misdiagnosis of who I was,’ Itoje said. ‘Most people who know me, most people who read the comments who know me would say that was an inaccurate conclusion about who I am. I think it’s unfortunate that your coach said that about you. But in life not everyone will see things the way you see them.’
In response to Jones’ claim that he took acting lessons to improve his leadership skills, he added, “I confirm that I have never taken acting lessons.” I worked with a psychologist at the time on how to communicate more clearly and convey messages in a more effective way. I wasn’t waltzing across the stage or practicing Shakespearean prose.’
Following Owen Farrell’s departure for France, Itoje adapted to the role and led the club through trials. As an Arsenal fan, he speaks of his desire to emulate Patrick Vieira’s elegant authority.
At the autumn internationals, Itoje’s name always appeared in conversation, adding fuel to the England captaincy debate. Jamie George consistently walked off the pitch on the hour as he watched from the sidelines as England fell into a habit of late defeats.
Itoje has progressed well since replacing Owen Farrell as Saracens captain this season.
He will now take over Jamie George’s (left) armband at international competitions.
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Under pressure from Theo Dan and Luke Cowan-Dickie, and with George’s starting role, Borthwick had little choice but to change leadership. Asked how George took the news, first revealed by Mail Sport, Borthwick said on Tuesday: ‘Just like everyone else, Jamie was disappointed. He is a very proud Englishman and has led the team with great pride over the last 12 months.’
This is one of the biggest decisions of Borthwick’s tenure. It is a symbolic change, removing the armband from George less than a year after taking over as captain, as England desperately try to bounce back from a disappointing 2024.
Itoje has 80 minutes of transcription. Tireless nuisance on the pitch. The pair met in a coffee shop in Harpenden on Monday and Borthwick outlined his plans for the future. ‘When I asked Maro to captain the team, the smile on his face must have lit up the whole of England,’ he said. ‘He was very happy and very humble. He will do his best to serve this team and be the best leader it can be.
‘I told him I wanted him to interfere with the captain. Everyone sees the dedication with which he plays. Every England supporter sees the dedication with which he plays.
‘When you have someone who fights so hard for the shirt and the team, it’s someone we can all relate to. “I want to be led by that person.” That’s the nature of his game.’
For now, the appointment has taken away talk of political infighting at Twickenham. On Tuesday, Borthwick explained how Immanuel Feyi-Waboso will undergo shoulder surgery later this week, how George Furbank could return for the later rounds of the Six Nations and how Sam Underhill will not feature at all.
He added that it was impossible to overlook No 8 Tom Willis when he answered a question about Itoje’s potential to lead the team to the World Cup Down Under in two-and-a-half years.
Steve Borthwick believes Itoje can lead England to the 2027 World Cup.
Itoje has faced every challenge in his career so far and there is no doubt that he will succeed as captain.
‘We’re sitting here right now and I don’t know why it doesn’t work,’ he said. ‘If you ask any coach, they will always prefer their captain to stand by for 80 minutes. This is not always possible and there are many exceptions to this case. But I think generally this is what most coaches prefer.
‘I returned to the England national team as manager two years ago. And what strikes me with Maro, who has been away for so many years, is that he thinks really well under pressure. He stays calm under pressure.
‘The diligence in the way he gets things done every day is top notch. The way he stands in front of the group and talks about how he plans to play the game on the weekend. When I look at the players, the look in their eyes makes me think, ‘The players are falling behind and this is the player they will really catch up to’.’
There is little doubt that Itoje is ready to take on that role. It felt like his destiny from the beginning.
