Maro Itoje has been confirmed as England captain for the upcoming Six Nations campaign, replacing Jamie George.
Steve Borthwick confirmed Mail Sport’s exclusive story on Tuesday and revealed George will continue to operate as Itoje’s understudy.
‘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,’ Borthwick said.
‘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.
‘I’d like to recognise the outstanding leadership of Jamie George, whose contributions as captain have been significant and will continue to play an important role as a vice-captain.’
Maro Itoje has been confirmed as England captain for the Six Nations campaign
Jamie George has led the side since the 2023 World Cup but there are doubts over his place
Steve Borthwick named his squad on Tuesday and confirmed a change of leadership
Speaking about his appointment, Itoje added: ‘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.’
Dan Cole and Ben Spencer were the two major omissions from Borthwicks’s 36-man squad, which included No 8 Tom Willis but did not feature young prospect Henry Pollock.
Experienced hooker Jamie George has led England since the 2023 World Cup but there are doubts about whether he is still a nailed on starter in the XV.
George was frequently subbed off in the final quarter of England’s Tests in 2024 and watched from the sidelines as his side suffered late defeats.
Luke Cowan-Dickie has been the Premiership’s in-form hooker and could well start against Ireland in Dublin.
Tom Willis has been named in Borthwick’s squad, but there was no place for Henry Pollock
Itoje is one for England’s most consistent players and has captained Saracens this season
After a disappointing Autumn Nations campaign, England need to improve their form quickly
Itoje is one of England’s most consistent players and has also taken on the role of captain at Saracens this season.
Writing in his Mail Sport column, Sir Clive Woodward has already called for a change in leadership, saying: ‘George can still play a big role in this England side and is hugely respected within the England team, but he isn’t at the top of his game.
‘I don’t think he should be captain. Why? Because he never plays 80 minutes.’
Itoje has never been England’s squad captain but he has long been feted as one of the team’s biggest standard bearers on the pitch.
Harlequins duo Oscar Beard and Cadan Murley are the two uncapped players in the squad.
England’s Six Nations campaign begins with a trip to Ireland on Saturday February 1, before returning to Twickenham to face France a week later.
For all England’s progress in last year’s Six Nations, capped by a heart-stopping last-kick victory over Ireland, they fell away dramatically in the rest of the year.
Borthwick’s side endured a disappointing Autumn Nations campaign with narrow defeats against New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, before blitzing past Japan with a comprehensive 59-14 victory.
Despite cruising past Japan, England were beaten by New Zealand, South Africa and Australia
England will now be hoping for a better Six Nations than last year, where they finished third
Next week, England will relocate to Girona for a warm-weather training camp ahead of the Six Nations, eager to improve significantly on their recent form.
A change of leadership marks a clean slate heading into their seismic Six Nations curtain-raiser at the Aviva Stadium.
Itoje, 30, has already chalked up 88 caps during his England career, first representing his country at senior level against Italy during the 2016 Six Nations campaign.
Two years prior, the lock had captained England’s U20s to victory at the Junior World Championship final, showcasing leadership qualities at an early age.
