England captain Maro Itoje could be banned for STAMP against Ireland
02/02/2025 05:17 AM
England captain Maro Itoje could be in hot water after an alleged stamp went unnoticed during England's Six Nations defeat to Ireland in Dublin.
Find your local Greene King and settle in for the 2025 Six Nations!
Steve Borthwick's side fell to their sixth defeat in seven matches as Ireland launched their bid for an unprecedented third successive Six Nations title with a dominant second-half display.
Cadan Murley's early try gave England a deserved half-time lead, but the hosts hit back after the break with scores from Bundee Aki, Tadhg Beirne, and Dan Sheehan, sealing victory in Simon Easterby's first game as Ireland interim head coach.
Itoje, leading England for the first time after replacing Jamie George as captain, now faces scrutiny after footage surfaced of an apparent stamp that went unpunished during the match.
Fans react to Itoje’s controversial moment
The alleged incident has sparked debate among fans, with one writing: “That’s not going to endear him to anyone as a captain. A real privilege. Wasted.”
Another added: “Nasty that. Cheap shot. We won tho so all good in the end.”
A third commented: “Shocking but what do you expect from a team who were warned early on about their foul play? Well done Ireland for not falling into their trap.”
Itoje will now be waiting anxiously to see if he is cited in the aftermath of England's latest setback.
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Six players who FLOPPED in Round One of the 2025 Six Nations
Wales endured a nightmare start in Paris, suffering a humiliating seven-try defeat to France, as Antoine Dupont ran the show on his return to the championship. Over at Murrayfield, Huw Jones stole the spotlight with a stylish hat-trick, helping Scotland edge past a spirited Italy side. Meanwhile, Ireland's title defence began with a comeback win over England, who at least salvaged a losing bonus point in Dublin.
With Round Two looming, we take a look at six players who flopped in the opening weekend.
#1. Ben Earl (England)
Mail Online 5/10: “Dropped restart after England’s early opener but one strong ruck clear-out showed his menace. Made way for Saracens team-mate Tom Willis.”
Rugby Pass 5/10: “The third openside in the England back row, he was eclipsed by what the Curry twins achieved and gone by the 56th minute. While a show of wheels helped lead to the penalty that got England 10-5 up just before the break, some rearguard work wasn't up to scratch. For instance, his soft knock-on at the 7-0 restart. There were also too many missed tackles.”
#2. Josh Adams (Wales)
RUCK 5/10: “Adams hit a milestone, running out for his 60th appearance for Wales. The 29-year-old is another player who has been a welcome return for Gatland's squad for this Championship. The Cardiff Rugby player is a scoring machine, having crossed the whitewash 21 times for 105 points. But he couldn’t make much of an impact as he never really got given the ball.”
Rugby Pass 3/10: “Huge shot on Pierre-Louis Barassi showed he was up for the fight, but that attitude boiled over at one point as he screamed at the referee. Was caught out of position by Dupont, who chipped over his head to set up Attissogbe's opening try. Found himself similarly exposed for Les Bleus' second try, but that was just a result of wave after wave of French pressure. Will be sick of the sight of Attissogbe's heels and backside.”
Wales Online 5/10: “The Cardiff wing got exposed defensively on a few occasions and missed an early tackle on his opposite number Théo Attissogbé which put Wales under severe pressure”
Planet Rugby 5/10: “Was given a bit of a torrid time on his wing, although it wasn't really his fault. Put in one big hit on defence but was then slightly embarrassed by Thomas Ramos for Louis Bielle-Biarrey's first try.”
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