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Seven-figure Maro Itoje loan deal sparks row - report

Maro Itoje (Getty Images)

Maro Itoje could be set to be lured to France in a controversial deal that could see the lock forward still play for England - report The Guardian.

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According to the report, Itoje has been offered a seven-figure deal to join Top 14 giants Racing 92 on a loan deal while Saracens spend a year in the RFU Championship. Itoje is already one of the highest-paid rugby players in the world, but this loan deal could be set to earn the 25-year-old yet more again.

Eddie Jones' and the RFU are thought to be amenable to the deal and were prepared to let Itoje continue play for England. A move to Racing would allow Itoje - an undisputed star of the English game - to continue to play at a high-level, priming him for Test duty and next season's Lions tour to South Africa.

However, Robert Kitson writes that the move is being resisted by rival Premiership club owners, who don't believe the Saracens player should be given the benefit of an 'exceptional' circumstance clause.

Should the deal goes ahead, it will be one of a growing number of loan-deals that Saracens have struck with rival clubs. Ben Earl, Max Malins and Jack Singleton have agreed loan deals that would see them return to North London for the 2021/22 season.

Itoje is one of Saracens' most prized assets and the club are desperate not to lose him.

He was named European Player of the Year and Rugby Players Association Young Player of the Year in 2016 after being part of England’s Grand Slam-winning side as well as helping Saracens win the Premiership and European Champions Cup titles.

He was ranked in the top 10 performers for turnovers won (15) and lineout steals (6) during the 2018-19 Premiership season.

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Concerns have been raised over his discipline however. He amassed four sin-bins in Saracens’ 2018-19 season, two of which came in the Premiership and European Champions Cup finals. By June, 2019, he had conceded 32 penalties in 24 Premiership, European Champions Cup and International matches for Saracens and England.

WATCH: Leon MacDonald joins the Breakdown to give an inside look at the Blues camp in 2020. This and all the big rugby news on your latest episode of the Breakdown.

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Bull Shark 2 hours ago
Rassie Erasmus' Boks selection policy is becoming bizarre

To be fair, the only thing that drives engagement on this site is over the top critiques of Southern Hemisphere teams.


Or articles about people on podcasts criticizing southern hemisphere teams.


Articles regarding the Northern Hemisphere tend to be more positive than critical. I guess to also rile up kiwis and Saffers who seem to be the majority of followers in the comments section. There seems to be a whole department dedicated to Ireland’s world ranking news.


Despite being dialled into the Northern edition - I know sweet fokall about what’s going on in France.


And even less than fokall about what’s cutting in Japan - which has a fast growing, increasingly premium League competition emerging.


And let’s not talk about the pacific. Do they even play rugby Down there.


Oh and the Americas. I’ve read more articles about a young, stargazing Welshman’s foray into NFL than I have anything related to either the north and south continents of the Americas.


I will give credit that the women’s game is getting decent airtime. But for the rest and the above; it’s just pathetic coming from a World Rugby website.


Just consider the innovation emerging in Japan with the pedigree of coaches over there.


There’s so much good we could be reading.


Instead it’s unimaginative “critical for the sake of feigning controversial”. Which is lazy, because in order to pull that off all you need to be really good at is:


1. Being a doos;

2. Having an opinion.


No prior experience needed.


Which is not journalism. That’s like all or most of us in the comments section. People like Finn (who I believe is a RP contributor).


Anyway. Hopefully it will get better. The game is growing and the interest in the game is growing. Maybe it will attract more qualified journalists over time.

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