Eddie Jones once famously wrote of Maro Itoje: “I might be wrong but I am not sure Maro is a future England captain.”
Not for the first time, Australia’s then England coach, who never felt the brilliant lock could be trusted as captain material, really did get it wrong.
For not only has the 30-year-old Itoje gone on to lead England with distinction, he’s now the man the British & Irish Lions have chosen to inspire them to victory over the Wallabies this winter.
“A special man,” coach Andy Farrell called Itoje at the team announcement in London on Thursday.
The criticism from Jones of Itoje was that was “too inward looking” and “doesn’t usually influence people off the field.”
Itoje evidently felt it quite a hurtful suggestion and has since hit back by suggesting: “I felt that was a wrong diagnosis of who I am.
“Most people who know me, most people who read those comments who knew me, would say that was an inaccurate conclusion to who I am as a person.
“I guess it was unfortunate that your coach would say something like that about you but in life not everyone is going to see the things that way you see it.”
Lions’ coach Andy Farrell certainly believes he’s got the right man for the job as he explained on Thursday how his team leader in Australia needed to be “a special person”.
And despite Jones’s assertion, Itoje, the Lions’ first Black captain, has indeed been a groundbreaking leader from his early days in the sport, leading the England Under-20s to Junior World Cup triumph in 2014 all the way to now spearheading top English club Saracens.
“I’m deeply honoured, humbled and I’ll do my best to do the role justice. I’m very much looking forward to the challenge ahead, it’s going to be a great tour,” said Itoje, whose path to the job was cleared when Ireland skipper Caelan Doris injured his shoulder at the weekend, ruling him out of the entire tour.
“As you can imagine, Caelan’s devastated,” reported Farrell.
Itoje dined in London on Wednesday with past Lions captains and said their passion and appreciation shone through.
“It was amazing. It’s a brotherhood, it’s a unique club and to spend time with them, for them to show the love and care and appreciation they still have for the Lions. It was absolutely amazing to be a part of that.”
