Jamie George axed as England captain, Steve Borthwick confirms replacement
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England men's head coach Steve Borthwick has named Maro Itoje as the new England captain for the 2025 Guinness Men's Six Nations Championship.
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Itoje, with 88 caps to his name, takes over the captaincy from George following Owen Farrell's decision to step down after the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
The Six Nations will kick off on Saturday, February 1st, when England face Ireland in Dublin at 4:45pm GMT (live on ITV1).
George’s Out, Maro's In!
“George has been skipper since Owen Farrell stepped down after the 2023 Rugby World Cup,” Borthwick confirmed. Now, Maro Itoje steps up as the new England captain, becoming the 136th player to lead the team since Frederick Stokes first took charge in 1871.
Itoje will be supported by vice-captains Ellis Genge and George, a decision made by Borthwick to keep leadership strength intact for the full 80 minutes. This was highlighted as a key area of improvement during the Autumn Nations Series, where England suffered several narrow defeats.
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Borthwick's Vote of Confidence in Itoje
On naming Maro Itoje as England captain, Borthwick said:
"With 88 England caps, Maro has been a central figure in this squad for many years, bringing a vast amount of experience both on and off the field. He's a calm, influential leader, renowned for his commitment to upholding high standards and his ability to motivate those around him."
Squad Gets Ready to Hit the Road
The 36-player squad will gather at the Honda England Rugby Performance Centre in Pennyhill Park on Tuesday, January 21, before flying to Girona to begin their preparations for the Six Nations.
Itoje Shares His Excitement for the Role
Maro Itoje spoke about being appointed England captain:
"I am incredibly humbled and honoured to have been asked by Steve to be England captain. It's a truly incredible privilege for both me and my family, and I feel grateful to have been given this opportunity."
"With the role comes a great deal of responsibility, but I'm at a point in my career where I feel ready to give my all to serve the team and the fans with the captaincy, and also produce my best on the field."
"It's reassuring to know there is a group of senior players to support me and help build on the achievements of Jamie, who has led the team brilliantly and who has been a great friend and leader for so many years."
"I am excited by the squad of players we have, who are all hungry for success, and I look forward to leading them out for the forthcoming Six Nations."
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England’s 2025 Six Nations squad:
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)
Rehabilitation: Afolabi Fasogbon (Gloucester Rugby), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs), George Furbank (Northampton Saints), Gabriel Ibitoye (Bristol Bears), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Luke Northmore (Harlequins),and Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby).
Can you name every England Rugby captain of the professional era?
From the early days of professionalism to the modern era, England has seen a host of legendary captains wearing the armband.
Whether it’s the grit of Will Carling in the 90s, the tactical brilliance of Martin Johnson, or the fearless leadership of Owen Farrell, this quiz will challenge even the most dedicated fans.
Think you can name them all? Grab your boots and let’s see how well you know the men who led England into battle on the world stage!
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