Maro Itoje will lead England into the Six Nations after Steve Borthwick made the radical decision to ditch Jamie George as captain and promote the secondrow before a campaign that promises to make or break the head coach’s tenure.
Borthwick said George was “disappointed” to lose the captaincy after only 12 months in what he described as a challenging conversation with the hooker, but explained the decision to appoint Itoje on the basis he is a “world-class player who has the respect of everybody”.
The upshot is that England head into the Six Nations with a new captain for the second year in a row and Borthwick is tasked with guiding his side to four wins from five by the Rugby Football Union after a disappointing 2024 in which they lost five consecutive matches.
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Borthwick said there is no reason Itoje will not continue in the role until the 2027 World Cup but his own job will come under threat in the event of another lacklustre campaign which begins with daunting fixtures against Ireland in Dublin before France visit Twickenham.
Borthwick also has injury problems to contend with after confirming Immanuel Feyi-Waboso has decided to undergo a shoulder operation and will miss the championship along with Sam Underhill (ankle). Tom Willis, meanwhile, has been rewarded for his fine form for Saracens with a call-up to the 36-man squad which will be led by Itoje for the first time at next week’s warm-weather training camp in Girona.
“I spoke to Maro [on Monday] about it and when I asked him to captain the team, the smile that spread across his face could have lit up the whole of England,” said Borthwick. “He was delighted – and very humble. He will do everything he can to help serve this team and be the best leader he can. After [each] series I am always reviewing and debriefing with my coaching team and thinking through what the team needs for the next step.”
Itoje has never captained England from the outset of a match despite being tipped as a future leader of the side ever since making his debut in 2016. Last year he was one of four vice-captains and took over whenever George was replaced.
Indeed, Borthwick admitted the fact George is regularly withdrawn around the hour mark was a factor in his decision after England developed a habit of capitulating in the final quarter last year. George now faces a fight for his place with Theo Dan and Luke Cowan-Dickie his competition for the No 2 jersey and, at 34, it remains to be seen if he reaches a fourth World Cup in 2027.
“[Jamie] is a wonderful rugby player and for such a long time now he’s been central in this England team and such an incredible influence in English rugby,” said Borthwick. “He was clearly disappointed but at the same point in time, he’s also always putting the team first. We spoke a number of times and I’d say he’s disappointed because he’s a proud Englishman who was very proud to be captain of this team.”
When Itoje led the under-20s to the Junior World Championship in 2014 he was soon dubbed a future England captain but Borthwick’s predecessor Eddie Jones expressed doubts, writing in a book released in 2021 that the secondrow was not suited to the role and that he had sent him to acting classes in an effort to improve his leadership. In September, having been installed as Saracens captain, Itoje insisted “that was a wrong diagnosis of who I am”.
Borthwick served as Jones’s assistant from 2016 to mid-2020, returning to replace the Australian in late 2022. He cited the development in Itoje’s leadership during the period he was away as a key reason for handing him the captaincy.
“I think he’s a great leaders’ man,” added Borthwick. “It struck me with Maro that he thinks really well under pressure. He stays calm under pressure. The diligence of the way he goes about his work every single day is first class.
“You see the younger players emerging in the squad, George Martin and Ollie Chessum, he helps and works with them and that’s a hugely positive effect. The way he stands up in front of the group and talks to them and talks about how we are going to take the game forward. When I am watching the players, the way they are looking at him, I go ‘this is a guy that players will get behind and really follow’.”
George relinquishes the captaincy with a forgettable record of five wins from 12 matches but he led England with distinction off the field. He was a popular leader with his team-mates and made it his priority to re-engage with supporters following a trying 2023 World Cup in which his predecessor Owen Farrell was regularly booed. He has been demoted to vice-captain – a role he will share with Ellis Genge.
Oscar Beard and Cadan Murley are the two uncapped members of the squad after Henry Pollock, who turned 20 on Tuesday, was overlooked by Borthwick. Alex Mitchell and Chessum make welcome returns after missing the autumn through injury while the 37-year-old Dan Cole and Ben Spencer are the most notable omissions. Borthwick insisted the door is still open for the veteran prop Cole to add to his 118 caps. – Guardian
England training squad for Six Nations
Forwards
Fin Baxter (Harlequins, 6 caps), Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 23 caps), Alex Coles (Northampton Saints, 7 caps), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks, 44 caps), Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins, 11 caps), Ben Curry (Sale Sharks, 6 caps), Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 56 caps), Theo Dan (Saracens, 16 caps), Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 20 caps), Ben Earl (Saracens, 37 caps), Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 66 caps) – vice-captain, Jamie George (Saracens, 97 caps) – vice-captain, Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers, 7 caps), Ted Hill (Bath Rugby, 2 caps), Maro Itoje (Saracens, 88 caps) – captain, George Martin (Leicester Tigers, 19 caps), Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks, 1 cap), Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 7 caps), Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 45 caps), Tom Willis (Saracens, 1 cap).
Backs
Oscar Beard (Harlequins, uncapped), Elliot Daly (Saracens, 69 caps), Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints, 2 caps), George Ford (Sale Sharks, 98 caps), Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, 15 caps), Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 31 caps), Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints, 18 caps), Cadan Murley (Harlequins, uncapped), Harry Randall (Bristol Bears, 11 caps), Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks, 3 caps), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 69 caps), Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints, 5 caps), Fin Smith (Northampton Saints, 6 caps), Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 39 caps), Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 35 caps), Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 16 caps).
