LONDON (AP) — Maro Itoje’s debut for England was just a matter of time in February 2016.
Eddie Jones was England’s brand new coach and trying to manage expectations around the stand-out Saracens second-rower.
Always armed with a colorful phrase, Jones thought of his father’s car when he said of Itoje, “He’s like a Vauxhall Viva now, we want to make him into a BMW. He’s got a lot of work to do but he’s got potential.”
Itoje had to Google what a Viva was. He was a 21-year-old politics student writing poetry.
Two days later, he debuted off the bench against Italy in Rome in the Six Nations, replacing James Haskell on the flank. Almost to the day a decade later, Itoje plays his 100th test for England on Saturday against Ireland at Twickenham.
Asked on Friday at the captain’s run what was going through his 21-year-old mind at the Stadio Olimpico, he said, “I guess he was thinking how to upgrade from a Vauxhall Viva! I don’t want to drive a Vauxhall Viva for too long!
“It’s easy to sit back now and and create a narrative or a story around it, as if it was all planned, etc. At that time I was just looking to try and cement my place in the team. The team was going really well and there was a number of really high-quality locks — Courtney Lawes, George Kruis and Joe Launchbury were all there.
“To reach 100 caps feels amazing. I’m full of pride, full of happiness, joy and excitement.”
Itoje started the next Six Nations match against Ireland, was man of the match against Wales when England clinched the title, and was celebrating a Grand Slam in Paris after his fourth test.
Jones noted how Itoje, at the time, was academically smart but not street smart. And London-born Itoje, a late starter to rugby in high school, admitted he had to learn how to control his emotions before a test match.
“I remember thinking I’m not sure if I can do this every week because I was putting myself through emotional turmoil,” he said. “The game’s a huge occasion but obviously building so much emotional energy towards it I probably would have had a heart attack or stroke if I didn’t change my prep.”
He’s got the routine down pat now. Renowned for his durability, relentless energy, can-do attitude and composure under fire, he has carved out one of the great careers.
He added Six Nations titles in 2017 and 2020. He was the youngest British and Irish Lion on the 2017 tour of New Zealand, the Lions player of the series on the 2021 tour of South Africa, and the first Black captain of the Lions last year in Australia.
He’s been nominated multiple times for player of the year for the world, Europe and Six Nations.
Jones, while still the England coach, questioned in a 2021 book whether Itoje was suited to be a captain, calling him “very inward-looking.” Itoje thought the claims wrong and unfortunate. He’d captained England to a world junior championship when he was 19. Saracens gave him the captaincy in 2024 and England last year.
He has used his platform to lead off the field, too. He runs a fund to help educate children in Nigeria and Africa, and has an art gallery in Lagos, Nigeria, to showcase young talent.
Itoje will be the ninth Englishman to 100 caps, and the third on the current team after George Ford and Jamie George.
“Maro leads through his actions every day, sets the standard for others and cares deeply about representing his country,” England coach Steve Borthwick said. “We’re all incredibly proud of what he has achieved.”
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