England head coach Steve Borthwick has decided to strip Jamie George of the captaincy ahead of the Six Nations, handing over control to his Saracens team-mate Maro Itoje
Maro Itoje has replaced Jamie George as England captain ahead of the Six Nations.
Saracens hooker George has only been leading England for 12 months, but has been stripped of the role by head coach Steve Borthwick. George, 34, has been a popular captain but is no longer guaranteed a place in the starting line-up, so has passed on the leadership role to Itoje and becomes a vice-captain along with Ellie Genge.
Second-row forward Itoje, 30, was made Saracens captain at the start of the season and will lead England for the first time when they travel to Dublin to play Ireland in their Six Nations opener on February 1. “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,” said Borthwick.
“He’s a calm, influential leader, renowned for his commitment to upholding high standards and his ability to motivate those around him. His strong rapport with the squad and coaches, combined with his leadership experience at Saracens, makes him ideally placed to take on this responsibility.”
Itoje captained England Under-20s to the junior world championship title in 2014 and has assumed the role at Saracens too. However, Borthwick’s decision goes against the advice of former England coach Eddie Jones, who questioned his leadership credentials in 2021.
“I might be wrong, but I am not sure Maro is a future England captain,” Jones wrote. “He is going to be one of the great players, but Maro is very inward-looking. He drives himself rather than anyone else. He doesn’t usually influence people off the field.”
Itoje dismissed Jones’s claims in September and was delighted to be promoted by Borthwick. He said: “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.” England last won the Six Nations back in 2020, but have struggled in recent years and finished third in 2024.
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