Maro Itoje: TNT Sports experts captaincy credentials of Saracens, England star - 'A leader in his own right'

TNT Sports experts have discussed the reasons why Maro Itoje might have missed out on the captaincy for England and Saracens this year.

Brian O’Driscoll said he wondered whether there are "certain components” that coaches are missing regarding Itoje, while Ugo Monye described him as "a leader in his own right".

Itoje has made 175 appearances for Saracens and has won 76 international caps for England.

But he has never been permanent captain at Sarries and also missed out on the England captaincy recently as Jamie George was chosen as skipper for the Six Nations to replace Owen Farrell, who is not playing the tournament for mental health reasons.

Asked about Itoje’s captaincy credentials, TNT Sports expert O’Driscoll said: “Why hasn’t he been captain for Sarries in Owen’s absence?

“It’s always hard to call these things when you don’t know the inner sanctum, but he was overlooked for England captain when Owen was elected, and now George.

"There are certain components to captains that coaches like, and maybe, just speculating, Maro is missing something that a number of coaches have identified as being a shortcoming for being a good captain.”

Itoje has recently put pen to paper on a new long-term deal with Saracens this week in a boost to the club with Farrell leaving for Racing 92 in the summer.

Stuart Hogg, who played with Itoje for the British & Irish Lions, believes George is a “good choice” as England captain.

“I like the idea of Jamie George. He is a great character and a proper good boy around the camp,” said TNT Sports expert Hogg.

“I think with Maro, he is a leader and he will stick to what he has to say. Having been on the Lions with him, you see him being quite vocal during the games.

“The two of them will bounce off each other. Jamie gets the captaincy and the leadership role but he will have a good team around him, so it’s a good choice.”

Itoje is set to start when England open their 2024 Six Nations campaign against Italy on Saturday.

Former Wales international and TNT Sports expert Tom Shanklin said: “I think Jamie George is a good talker and inspires people around him.

“He is engaging and he could be one for maybe the Lions captaincy.”

The next Lions tour sees them visit Australia in 2025.

TNT Sports expert Monye was part of the Lions side that lost in South Africa in 2009, and he says George seems a popular choice to be England captain.

“Maro’s a leader in his own right but there’s not a single person I’ve chatted to who is not happy with Jamie George as captain," he said.

“He’s a brilliant player.”

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