Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France
Today
15:00
British & Irish LionsEnglandJames RyanMaro Itoje

'Ate us alive' - England's win ended the Itoje vs Ryan debate as fans crown the winner the future Lions captain

(Photo by David Rogers - RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

Maro Itoje was crowned the official man-of-the-match in England’s win over Ireland in the Pool A clash of the Autumn Nations Cup, after an outstanding display by the second rower at Twickenham.

ADVERTISEMENT

The 26-year-old made a nuisance of himself at line out and at the breakdown, disrupting Ireland’s attack while punishing them behind the gain line with dominant hits, delivering the type of performance he is renown for.

England’s lock made 25 tackles, missing none, whilst also winning two of England’s seven turnovers. England’s pack powered over Ireland after they built an 18-0 lead on the back of two tries to Jonny May before a late try to Jacob Stockdale added some respectability to the scoreboard for Ireland.

Itoje’s ‘take no prisoners’ attitude was praised by fans, who described him as ‘absolutely relentless in defence’ and ‘the greatest second row in the modern game’. Irish fans said that he ‘ate us alive’ as they could only watch their side fall to England for the fourth time in a row.

https://twitter.com/HugoGordon1/status/1330193205669859328

Many fans were intrigued by the battle up front between Maro Itoje and Ireland’s new captain James Ryan, who are both tipped to be the first choice Lions second row in 2021 in South Africa.

ADVERTISEMENT

Ryan had delivered an impressive performance in a losing side the last time the two sides met earlier in the year at Twickenham, elevating his stock as one of Europe’s premier locks. Itoje, widely regarded as Europe’s best, relished the challenge against the man challenging him for his title.

English fans weren’t happy with the assertion that Ryan had reached the same level as Itoje, claiming Irish fans had ‘some audacity’ for doing so and that this match could finally put to bed the debate between the two.

ADVERTISEMENT

One fan was in disbelief about the assertion of Ryan as the next captain of the British & Irish Lions, with the Irish lock ‘not a guaranteed starter’ unlike Itoje who is seen as being in a different league to the Leinster-product.

Naturally, the debate skewed towards the Lions tour where many fans were ready to claim Itoje as the next Lions captain. One fan claimed it would be like Martin Johnson in ’97, who famously lifted the Lions to a successful tour of South Africa, while another claimed he should ‘definitely’ be the captain in South Africa with ‘no one even close’.

After recieving his man-of-the-match award, Itoje said the game was a building block for his side who are moving in the right direction.

“It was a good game,” he said, “We started the first half really well and Ireland had their purple patch at the beginning of the second half and we kind of wrestled thereafter.

“I think it’s another step forward. Game on game we’re building and going in the right direction. You can’t take wins for granted so I’m really happy with that.

“I think our relentless application gets our forward pack going – we pride ourselves in that area and today was just another opportunity to show it.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Boks Office | Episode 42 | Investec Champions Cup Final Review

Saitama Wildknights vs Kubota Spears | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Semi Final Replay

Spain's Incredible Rugby Sevens Journey to the World Championship Final | HSBC SVNS Embedded | Episode 14

Australia vs USA | Pacific Four Series 2025 | Full Match Replay

New Zealand vs Canada | Pacific Four Series 2025 | Full Match Replay

South Africa vs New Zealand | The Rugby Championship U20's | Full Match Replay

The Game that Made Jonah Lomu

The gruelling reality behind one of the fastest sports in the world | The Report

Trending on RugbyPass

1

Blow for leaders Bath as Sam Underhill's season appears to be over

2

Mark McCall reacts to Owen Farrell rumours

3

The form All Blacks backline based only on Super Rugby Pacific

4

The players Jean de Villiers rates in the Springboks' 'problem' position

5

'I don't get it': Mike Brown's take on shock England omission

6

Fresh twist to Owen Farrell exit rumours as potential new role emerges

7

'We just hope he pulls through - Edinburgh issue Duhan van der Merwe update

8

Fissler Extra: The Paddy Jackson rumour that may have legs

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

LONG READ

'The stakes are high, with a bad decision or two likely to have painful consequences.'

The future of professional rugby in Wales in on a knife-edge with West Walian regions and the WRU still at loggerheads over how to proceed

LONG READ

'Owen Farrell's season may have been a disaster but it has not diminished interest around him'

Having been across the Channel for almost a year, the one-time England talisman still commands major prestige.

LONG READ

Mick Cleary: 'There will be a battle royale for all the shirts over the coming weeks'

The back-row balance will be key to the Lions overpowering and outwitting the Wallabies and the scrap for a starting shirt will be white hot

Comments on RugbyPass

C
Cantab 16 days ago
Teenager Braxton Sorensen-McGee reflects on dream Black Ferns debut

Although NZ won comfortably enough they weren’t always convincing and a better opposition may well have found them out. If our gun 7s players can translate their skills to the 15s game the team would have the ability to beat anyone. Need to be given the chance though.

4 Go to comments
J
James 16 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

And how do you see the Wallabies loosehead / Lion’s tighthead battle Nick?

37 Go to comments
d
dw 16 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Also interested in your thoughts on A Bell. Haven't noticed many scrum issues recently. He also seems to play 60 or so mins every game. A bit of a fan (even though he’s a tah..) but wondered if the Lions would target his scrummaging

37 Go to comments
d
dw 16 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

True. And you look at how the European coaches have got so much out of skelton and how much the local fans love him…and then some Oz fans will still say “he played poorly for the tahs I'm 2015!”

37 Go to comments
d
dw 16 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Thanks Nick but your headline has just jinxed us and reminded me of that night in 2013!

I love any analysis of the scrums such as the above. Cheers.


Allalatoa seems to be in good form and Nongorr appears to be able to hold his own? I think they will pick Tupou regardless of form. After Friday night I am concerned he could be sent off in the first five mins of the test though! He got too pumped up and hit a player high and was carded

37 Go to comments
R
RedWarriors 16 days ago
'Most complacent selection decision you will ever see': Barrett benching slammed as Leinster knocked out

I watched the mainstream NZ pundits eg Mils Muliaina and they DID back NZ to win almost to a man.

Ireland will talk their team up as anyone would with the caveats we are playing the ABs and match was de facto 50:50, That is not the same as dismissing the opposition. EG After the quarter John Kirwan said he was sorry France didn’t win versus SA becuase a ‘France-NZ final would be perfect. (The semis had not even been played yet, England and Argentina completely dismissed! He didn’t even realize his own arrogance) NZ are not even aware of the arrogance they exude. Has no Kiwi politely asked the national team to take down the ‘Superstars and Humble Heroes’ boasting on the AB site? Its cringeworthy stuff. Do NZ really see themselves like this?

Note all this BS about Irish arrogance started just after NZs defeat in the 2022 series. Not a coincidence.

Also: this is Irish national TV. We will talk our team up as everyone does. We care too much about judgemental and thin skinned Kiwis getting offended.

91 Go to comments
J
JM 16 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Aussie rugby fans are obsessed with players they hate, for whatever reason.

Michael Hooper is another one, and the hatred only increased whenever he won John Eales medals or the two times he was nominated world player of the year.

I reckon it is because our forwards are technically and mentally weak they put it all on one player who they think should make way for the messiah.

Same for the general team performance and the hate put on players like White, Lolesio, and Foley who should be pulling rabbits out of the hat every play.

I reckon, if we had of had 5 players with Hooper’s desire and drive spread across the team (and especiallythe forwards), we wouldn’t have woken up in the bottom of the ditch.

37 Go to comments
R
RedWarriors 16 days ago
'What he’s given to this club is nothing short of incredible'

He shouldn’t have been picked. Not physically able for the most intense matches notably in Twickenham last year. Giving him the captaincy was also a very short sighted decision then after RWC 2023. Ireland have a tendency to be a little too loyal, which can mean the team ages and the rebuild is bigger than should be.

Plenty of lads out there to fill that squad.

4 Go to comments
O
OJohn 16 days ago
Geoff Parling returns to Leicester as head coach

Hooray

0 Go to comments
C
Carlos 16 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

He was also a YC magnet.

37 Go to comments
C
Carlos 16 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Windsor-Faulkner-Price. 😊

37 Go to comments
S
Solenn Bonnet 16 days ago
Leinster cleanse palette with record URC scoreline against Zebre

My name is Solenn Bonnet, and I am a single mother navigating the challenges of raising my two-year-old child while trying to make ends meet. I came across a trading platform that promised astonishing daily profits of 18%. The allure of such a high return on investment was too tempting to resist, and I found myself drawn into cryptocurrency trading. Excited by the prospect of financial freedom, I invested a significant amount of my savings, totaling over 5.7 BTC. However, what started as a hopeful venture quickly turned into a nightmare. The platform was a scam, and I lost everything I had invested. The emotional toll of this loss was immense; I felt devastated and helpless, struggling to provide for my child and keep up with my bills. In my desperate attempt to recover my funds, I sought help from various recovery experts. Unfortunately, I encountered numerous fraudulent individuals who claimed they could help me retrieve my lost money. Each time I reached out, I was met with disappointment and further scams, which only deepened my despair. Last year was one of the most challenging periods of my life, filled with anxiety and uncertainty about my financial future. Feeling overwhelmed and at a loss, I confided in a close friend from church about my situation. She listened compassionately and shared her own experiences with financial difficulties. Understanding my plight, she introduced me to Tech Cyber Force Recovery, a group of skilled hackers known for their expertise in recovering lost funds. Skeptical yet hopeful, I decided to reach out to them as a last resort. Their services came at a higher cost, but my friend generously offered to help me with a partial payment. I was amazed by how quickly they responded and began the recovery process. Their team was professional, efficient, and incredibly supportive throughout the entire ordeal. To my relief, they successfully recovered more than I had lost to those heartless scammers. This was truly transformative, and I felt a sense of relief and gratitude that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I strongly encourage anyone who has faced similar challenges or fallen victim to scams to reach out to Tech Cyber Force Recovery. If you’ve invested in a fraudulent platform like I did, they are highly capable of helping you reclaim your hard-earned money. Don’t lose hope; there is a way to recover what you’ve lost.

CONSULT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY

EMAIL.. support@techyforcecyberretrieval.com

WhatsApp.. +15617263697

website.. https://techyforcecyberretrieval.com

Telegram.. +15617263697

0 Go to comments
M
Mzilikazi 16 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Ah, the Pooler front row ! Most legendary in the history of the , I would think. Max Boyce helped…”Here we. here we, here we go, with the Pontypool front row.”

37 Go to comments
M
Mzilikazi 16 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Would not go as far as whole house in our family, but for me, yes, W1. Loved playing in the scrum, love watching now😀

37 Go to comments
M
Mzilikazi 16 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Yes, I see that article here on RP, Nick. That is good news that Schmidt is going to look at the o’seas players.


Yes, I would think you are right that LAR will qualify. On the same points as MP, but surely they are too good not to win this crunch game….could be tEnse for ROG in the stands though.

37 Go to comments
B
BC 16 days ago
Who would make it into a Women's British and Irish Lions starting XV?

I would pick Oifa Wafer at 6, put Aldcroft in the second row with Ward. I think Wafer is one of the few non-England players mentioned that would contend for a Red Rose shirt, the others being King and possibly Neve Jones. Conversely there are two English players mentioned, Sing and Venner, that probably won’t even make the Red Rose WC squad, let alone a Lions Tour. Still a lot can change in two years, watch out for Millie David.

1 Go to comments
O
Otagoman II 16 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Great article NB, thanks. I would like to know what is the reasoning why so many things are penalties in the scrum. Is it to do with safety or something else?

37 Go to comments
N
NB 16 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

👍

37 Go to comments
N
NB 16 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Always the same at the other place. Some of those perceptions of him at the Tahs - lazy, overweight and slow - were impossible to shift!

37 Go to comments
N
NB 16 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Hang on to Miz Carlos!

37 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ 'The French don’t understand Pollock is purposely playing the pantomime villain' 'The French don’t understand Pollock is purposely playing the pantomime villain'
Search