England hooker Jamie George had no idea he would be stripped of his country’s captaincy until the day before Steve Borthwick was named in his Six Nations squad.
George captained England in all 12 Test matches last year but will be replaced as skipper by Saracens team-mate Maro Itoje during the Six Nations.
England took third place last year, beating Italy, Wales and Ireland.
However, in the second half of last year, they lost three times in a row to New Zealand and also lost to Australia and South Africa.
Coach George of Saracens Mark McCall was asked his thoughts on changing the England captaincy.
And the 57-year-old explained: “There will always be a range of emotions. The disappointment is palpable. Especially when I was a little surprised to hear the news less than 24 hours before it was announced.
“All I saw from Jamie was that he was a phenomenal teammate. He never needed the badge of captain to be a good leader.
“He has never been officially captain of this club, but he has been one of the most important people and most vocal people for quite some time.”
And McCall added: “Maro has always known that the best way to lead is through action, and has done so for many years. Same as Jamie. He doesn’t need to be captain to be a leader. He was leading anyway.
“He’s had help from the leadership group around him, and Jamie has been a big part of that.”
England begin their Six Nations campaign in Ireland on Saturday February 1, with their final game against Wales at the Principality Stadium six weeks later.
England coach Borthwick said this after confirming the squad for the tournament. “I have chosen a squad where every player brings something unique to the group. The Six Nations is always a fierce and exciting tournament, and this year is no exception.
“We are looking forward to getting the squad together in Girona to begin preparations for the opening match against Ireland in Dublin.
“Maro, who has 88 caps for England, has been a central figure in this team for many years and brings vast experience both on and off the pitch.
“He is a quiet and influential leader, known for his commitment to high standards and his ability to motivate those around him.”
