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Powering the engine room
PROFILE | MARO ITOJE POWERING THE ENGINE ROOM
MARO ITOJE WILL HAVE A VITAL ROLE TO PLAY AS THE LIONS LOOK TO CHALLENGE A BRISTLING SPRINGBOK PACK
Maro Itoje is built tough, which is just as well given he will be tasked with the job of dealing with an intimidating Springbok second row, home to enforcer Eben Etzebeth.
The pedigreed England lock has built a formidable reputation on the back of nine seasons as a professional. Four years after lining up for Saracens as a teenager, he made his international debut in 2016 and has since represented his country 48 times, winning three Six Nations championships and a Grand Slam, and playing in all three Tests in the 2017 Lions’ dramatic drawn series in New Zealand.
The tight five is often referred to as the ‘engine room’ and it is the locks who undertake the majority of the unseen, hard work that drives a rugby team forward. It’s a job description that perfectly fits Itoje’s profile as his tireless work rate gives his team traction in general play and in the scrum while his value as a lineout jumper is well established.
In general play, the 26-year-old is much more than a cumbersome battering ram. A dynamic ball-carrier, he is as likely to beat defenders with his athleticism as he is with brute physicality, and reliable handling skills allow him to function effectively as a link between forwards and backs.
Above: Itoje gets stuck into a ruck while playing for England against Wales in last year’s Six Nations Below left: Winning a lineout for Saracens against Nottingham in the English Championship in May
As the youngest member of the Lions squad in 2017, Itoje has been looking after the Lions’ mascot for the past four years
These attributes together make Itoje an authentic option at blindside flank, and his breakdown expertise has seen him considered for England’s openside role.
Itoje is a nuisance to the opposition’s attacking breakdown, attacking the tackle point with zeal and effectively disrupting the speed and quality of possession to give his teammates time to build a defensive wall. The pressure he exerts on opposition continuity makes it difficult for scrumhalves to get into a rhythm of clearing the ball with any fluidity. This type of breakdown mongrel is exactly what Warren Gatland will be eager to deploy in South Africa.
As is typical of any player who lives on the knife-edge of rugby’s laws, Itoje’s high penalty count has at times detracted from his positive contributions. But when he gets it right, there are few more destructive than him in the international game.
To overcome the challenge of staying on the right side of the referee’s whistle, Itoje will need to draw on all of his experience and the leadership qualities that saw him co-captain England to the World Rugby U20 Championship title in 2014.
By his own standards, Itoje had a quiet 2021 Six Nations as part of a struggling England side. Having played for Saracens in the English Championship at a level not befitting his quality as a player, a frustrated Itoje will be desperate to make an impact against South Africa having come up short in the 2019 World Cup final.
