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Why England 'line in the sand' has invigorated 50-cap Maro Itoje

(Photo by Dan Mullan/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)

Maro Itoje will lead England out on Saturday at Twickenham in celebration of the 50th cap for his country invigorated by the possibilities of what can be achieved by a squad overhauled in recent months by Eddie Jones. Itoje’s 48th English cap was an occasion to forget, the team getting hammered by Ireland to leave them finishing in fifth place last March in the Six Nations. 

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Since then, head coach Jones has been on a mission to transform his squad and with the 2023 World Cup finals in France now just 22 months away, Itoje believes he has returned to a very different England than the one that limped beaten out of Dublin. 

Having been away with the Lions while Jones was checking out some new talent with the summer series versus the USA and Canada, Itoje returned to the England side for last Saturday’s comfortable win over Tonga and he will now be the first out to emerge from the tunnel for the clash versus the Wallabies. 

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He will run out with a fresh spring in his step thanks to the Jones overhaul, which also included the appointment of new assistants in the guise of Richard Cockerill and Anthony Seibold. “Things do feel new,” reckoned Itoje. 

“Eddie has talked a lot about drawing a line in the sand after the Lions tour and all heads are looking forward as opposed to looking back. Things do feel invigorated, things do feel fresh and it’s exciting.

“The coaches are fantastic. They have come in, brought their own flavour to things. They have brought an increased level of detail. It feels as if they have propelled the team forward. They are really committed, they really work hard and the mix of personalities and flavours has really put the team in a good place. 

“In terms of the new players, everyone felt a little bit new coming into this camp because it was essentially a new team, a new mix of people, a new mix of personnel so it feels like a new team. We want to get a few games under our belt and this weekend you don’t really get too many opportunities like this, it’s wonderful.”

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It should be for Itoje. Essentially it is his 57th Test appearance as he has played a half-dozen for the Lions, including appearances in all three encounters with the Springboks in the recent series in Cape Town. 

But the 27-year-old who debuted for England in 2016 is chuffed to clock up his 50th cap for his country. “It is one of the great honours in my life to do this. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity, incredibly grateful to be part of this group and I am really happy to be here.”

Much of the focus versus the Wallabies will on Marcus Smith in his first match versus a tier-one nation. Itoje has backed the out-half to go well. “I shared a room last week with Marcus, we have changed now. 

Marcus is a brilliant individual, he is a very down to earth type of guy. He is extremely talented, there is not really too much a need to say. He is an extremely talented young man, he has a good head on his shoulders and he will be just fine.” 

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J
JPM 1 hour ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

Unfortunately you don't know anything about French rugby, coaches and players but still making a lot of assumptions and judgements to push your prefabricated and simplistic point of view that Dupont is manipulating everything and is a bad guy. I am not a NZ rugby specialist and wouldn't dare make such theories about what is going on within the ABs team. Therefore my advice to you is to do like Dupont and stay humble when you don't know all the background of the issues !!!


Firstly if you knew a bit of Galthié, he is not the type of coach who is going to ask advice to his players and even his captain about team selection. He is as stubborn as you...


Second Ramos has played a lot of times as 10 with Toulouse and therefore Dupont (in particular when Ntamack is injured and unfortunately it has often happened recently and for long periods). He even played 10 during the last 3 games of the 2024 6N and this was far better performance than the first two games with Jalibert as 10.


Thirdly Jalibert lacked of respect to a La Rochelle player so your theory is once again out.


Fourth as I explained to you Galthié went for a 6-2 bench and Jalibert can only play 10 which doesn't fit that plan. Furthermore as 15 Buros is better under high balls than Ramos and everybody is prepared for a tactical kicking game.


So you can blame Galthié for a lot of things (as you clearly enjoy doing at the end of your post and you should be very happy as an AB fan) but certainly not Dupont. Sorry once more for your conspiracy theory.


And don't worry about potential disharmony in the French team; they are excellent mates around their captain. Jalibert is well known in the French rugby circles to have not a strong character (and we saw that in the WC quarter finals as he is very nervous in any decisive international game unlike Ntamack and Ramos as for his late penalty kick vs England this year).


In conclusion enjoy the game tmrw night. It is good that the ABs are very upset; we should watch a great game of rugby. I hope for running rugby and not too much kicking. With 5 key players injured on our side (Ntamack, Baille, Atonio, Cros and Penaud) and 2 on your side I and various French fans see you as favourites. I obviously hope for another result.


If you are interested you can read a good article in the Guardian on the subject of France-NZ games.

92 Go to comments
K
KB 1 hour ago
The 'one difference' between Boks and the back-to-back All Blacks

Consistency hasnt been there they have many great players SA were also not unbeaten in the 2023 WC - NZ were in 2015 WC McCaw and Carter Nonu and Smith - SA did not have those Marque players in those postions in 2019 or 2023 - I wouldnt rank them ahead of the 20I5 ABs - They clocked up 60 points against France in the QF - Furthermore I do not believe for one moment SA won 2023 fairly no way - they were so favoured it became obvious that behind the scenes SA the nation bought the title - Their last 3 matches were won by a solitary point there were many contentious decisions that went their way that it became obvious it wasnt coincidence - Sport has been hijacked by a satanic cult just as is Politics

Some players coaches officials and sponsors are involved - they know who they are - its called Freemasonry - any sport that allows betting is corrupt - its not all about money either for these parasites its also about control - Lots of American NFL players have spoken openly about games being scripted - Football is also rigged Referees have been caught on film showing freemason hand signs - The 95 RWC final ranks as the highest and most obvious attempt at cheating There was no way SA were going to allow NZ to gate crash Nelson Mandelas reunification party - NZ were so good they had to posion almost the entire team to get a 3 point win - a Hollywood Movie ( theres your Red Flag ) was made about SAs triumph called Invictus


William Henley wrote a poem called Invictus


It starts


Out of the night that covers me BLACK ( All Blacks ) as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever GODS maybe for my unconquerable Soul ...( Olan says INVICTUS is an evil Malevolent entity who corrupted the Titans ... this is Mandelas double meaning speech ( hes a fraud ) - of thanks for helping overcome SA's adversary NZ - There is only ONE true God Yahuah - Only a false god would be complicit in Cheating Corruption and Harming others to win a RWC for a sick and sinful Nation ) the poem ends with


I am the CAPTAIN of my soul


SA will forever bear the stain of guilt and disgrace over their involvement in poisoning the ABs a day before the 95 RWC Final

12 Go to comments
C
CO 1 hour ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

I cannot believe that you don't think the French rugby team coach and captain are not discussing putting Jalibert on the bench in favour of Duponts club teammate that doesn't even play at 10.


This is a terrible, massive insult to a 10 and I'm sure Dupont would also be very enraged if benched for a player that doesn't even play halfback.


A good captain would've insisted to the coach that it was an idea of madness and either select Jalibert or replace him with another 10 if you want him to be reserve.


Jalibert may not be the world's finest tacklers but that's often not a tens main strength that the loose forwards and second five cover. An intercept pass is never great but they happen.


When any player is playing for his club then it's club first, respect doesn't need to be shown to opposition players simply because they're internationals.


Who exactly are you claiming Jalibert hasn't respected? If it's Toulouse international players then it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this bench demotion out.


The outcome of selecting Jalibert to the bench and he then throwing his croissants out the window of the team bus immediately prior to playing the Allblacks is a disaster that will be team disharmony as any team mates of Jalibert are in a state of anger and revolt so a performance that will be sub optimal against a team that is thirsting for revenge against France.


I don't know about you but the Allblacks are very upset they've lost twice in a row to France and want to put out a statement performance so this preparation by Galthie of creating havoc looks to me like a coach that is clueless.

92 Go to comments
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