Appointed England captain ahead of a vital Six Nations, Itoje looks set to lead Steve Borthwick’s side through to the 2027 Rugby World Cup

It was while sitting in Steve Borthwick’s office at Pennyhill Park in Bagshot last June that Maro Itoje convinced the head coach that he was a future England captain.

Strap on a weight plate or a weight vest and hang from a bar with your hands facing you. Engage your back and biceps to lift your chest. Pause at the top and lower slowly. Grab a pair of dumbbells and rest one foot on a bench. Bend your front leg until your back knee is just above the floor. Push through your heel to the start point.

But Borthwick has opted to replace George with Saracens team-mate Itoje amid mounting speculation over the hooker’s place in England’s starting XV for next month’s Six Natio

England coach Steve Borthwick sprung a surprise when naming his Six Nations squad on Tuesday when he made lock Maro Itoje his new captain in place of Jamie George, though the hooker was still included in the 36-man training group.

As part of our 'Talking Heads' series, contributing writer Alastair Campbell sat down with the England rugby star

Maro Itoje has taken over from Jamie George as England’s captain ahead of this year’s Six Nations. George, 34, had been serving as Steve Borthwick’s skipper following Owen Farrell’s decision to step away from international rugby in late 2023.

England will be captained by Maro Itoje into the 2025 men's Six Nations but there is no place in the 36-player squad for Dan Cole or Ben Spencer.

England head coach Steve Borthwick explains why he chose Maro Itoje to replace Jamie George as captain for the Six Nations this spring. George has been in charge since the 2023 World Cup but is demoted to vice-skipper alongside Ellis Genge,

England coach Steve Borthwick named his Six Nations squad for 2025 on January 14. A total of 36 players were called up to the training squad, which will undertake pre-tournament preparations in Girona from Tuesday,