"Full confidence in Maro"- Steve Borthwick backs Itoje to captain British & Irish Lions this Summer
Yesterday at 21:08
England have achieved an immense 10-try win over Wales, to bring a triumphant close to their 2025 Guinness Men’s Six Nations campaign. Steve Borthwick’s side have now won four Test matches in a row, and have done all they can to win their first Six Nations title since 2020.
The eyes of the England squad now turn to Paris, as a Scotland win over France would hand the fabled piece of rugby silverware to England. Borthwick was flanked by his captain Maro Itoje in the Principality Stadium media centre, with the pair reviewing their Six Nations campaign. Borthwick also addressed the hopes of getting plenty of England players on the British & Irish Lions tour to Australia, with plenty of ‘good headaches’ in store for Andy Farrell.
Find your local Greene King and settle in to the Six Nations!
1 “We’ve done our job” – Itoje happy with his side’s Six Nations campaign
MARO ITOJE: “Yeah, you know, we’ve done what we supposed to do today. We’ve done our job. Now it’s out of our hands. Whatever will be, will be, if it was meant to be, it is meant to be? If not, we’ve still had a good day. So, there’s a positive result for us, no matter what happens.”
2. Steve Borthwick backs Maro Itoje to be British & Irish Lions captain with plenty of selection headaches for Andy Farrell
STEVE BORTHWICK: “Well, the next thing is, for these players is, hopefully lots of them will get picked for the Lions, and I think the players have probably created some so the good headaches for Andy, the kind of headaches as a coach you want to have. Lots of players putting their hand up and showing a case of why they should be on that plane for the Lions.
“We as a coaching team, talked about part of our role. It was Kevin Sinfield who proposed it, and he said part of our role is to get as many of these players on that plane as possible. Our job is to help them do that. So hopefully there’ll be a lot of England players go heading down under in a couple of months time, on that Lions plane.”
“I think Maro has been absolutely outstanding. He leads by example, and it’s right every day, and he stepped up his game. I think that’s an important thing to note. He’s improved in many areas, thiscampaigns and that really does set an example. He’s an experienced player, at both the Test level and the Lions level. I’d have full confidence in Maro’s ability to lead the Lions, should Andy ask him.”
3. Henry Pollock grabs two tries upon his dream England debut
MARO ITOJE: “Henry has been with the squad now for a little while. He was with us in our first camp in Girona, then he went away with the U20s, played a couple games, and has been training. It’s always a tell sign when you have a young player who’s absolutely annoying when he’s on the other side.
“He’s been an absolute pest, but he’s been training so well. I’m delighted that he was able to get an opportunity, and then when he came on, he played so well.”Yeah, you know, we’ve done what we supposed to do today. We’ve done our job. Now it’s out of our hands. Whatever will be, will be, if it was meant to be. Is meant to be? If not, we’ve still had a good day. So it’s there’s a positive result for us, no matter what happens
4. Borthwick impressed with Chandler Cunningham-South at lock and Ben Earl’s performance at centre
STEVE BORTHWICK: “I’m really pleased with that preparation, (we) looked at those factors. Chandler has embraced that and done really well, and the man next to me (Maro Itoje) has helped him. The young second rows in the squad, it has helped them a lot in terms of their development.
“I don’t think there’s very many better people to learn from than Maro. So Chandler did really well. We’ve played Ben Earl in the center during games plenty of times before, and I think there’s a possibility of him starting in the center at some stage in the future. He’s such a quality player. I thought he was outstanding there throughout the second half.”
5. Tom Roebuck makes good on his England opportunity after plenty of patience for a chance
STEVE BORTHWICK: “So Tom, for a number of weeks, a number of times in both in the Autumn and particularly in this Six Nations. Tom and I have had some conversations where, I’ve given the news around selection, which is not the news he wanted to hear.
“Each time, talked about the quality he brings and the strength in his game, and the fact that we’ve got somebody on the right wing, Tommy Freeman, playing as well as he is, and that’s he’s just got to be ready for the opportunity.
“We talked about (how) an opportunity will come, and the opportunity came this week. It’s to Tom’s immense credit that he has just worked and worked to develop, to keep developing, to keep working to produce that performance. I thought he was outstanding today. In the air with his carry and keeping the ball alive, feeding the ball and giving other players opportunities. I thought he was tremendous.”
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