For Maro Itoje there is really no need to stick a cherry on top of such an extraordinarily successful season. Twenty-five matches started, 25 victories, a Six Nations grand slam, a historic series win in Australia, a domestic and European double. And on the eighth day? No English player has ever ticked quite so many boxes in the same 12-month period, whatever happens in the final Test against Australia.
The most remarkable aspect of all is that Itoje is just 21 years old and still has an entire career ahead of him. Steep initial trajectories are notoriously hard to maintain but this is not your average fresh-faced international player. It is hard to think of any young English forward since Martin Johnson who has taken to the Test arena with such instant relish or obvious class; only John Eales among modern-day locks has had a similarly wide-ranging palette of skills.
Itoje is not yet kicking winning goals from the touchline but he has pretty much everything else covered. In a spare moment the day before the second Test in Melbourne he could be seen juggling on the sidelines, displaying the calm dexterity that has rapidly made him such a tricky lineout opponent. He can also jump, heave, tackle and sprint, as well as possessing a sharp brain, a strong faith and a genuine interest in politics. Most scarily of all, he is dedicated to getting even better.
It makes the Edgware-reared son of Nigerian parents the complete all-round package and one of the key reasons why England have been transformed from World Cup also-rans since Eddie Jones took over as head coach. No one will ever know whether the host nation’s fortunes would have improved had Itoje made their World Cup squad, although the man himself totally rejects such a simplistic conclusion.
“I’m fully aware these things are happening not due to my own power,” he says softly, sitting in England’s beachside hotel in the suburb of Coogee. “When you go out and play rugby it’s not one man versus 15. I know that without my team-mates, the guys either side of me, without the coaches and back-room staff, none of this could happen. I’m very fortunate to be part of two extremely well-coached, motivated teams. Each individual in each of those two squads always wants to get better. I’m just fortunate to be in that position.” Don’t call me Superman, in other words.
Of course he is right; every rugby team is a complex jigsaw of contrasting yet complementary pieces. Then again, it is hardly a coincidence that Saracens and England have won every game in which he has started since 10 May 2015 when Exeter stole a 24-20 Premiership win at Allianz Park – although he did feature as an early replacement in a loss to Harlequins at the Stoop in January. The rest is Boy’s Own stuff and Itoje acknowledges his team-mates have started to tease him about it: “The usual kind of stuff – nothing too serious, just a little bit of banter here and there.”
Not that Itoje appears in much danger of getting swept away by the hype. “It doesn’t really bother me or distract me in the first place,” he says. “What I find important is what the people I care about say; my team-mates, coaches, family. That’s who I hold myself accountable to. I never go into a game by myself; I know that I need the people either side of me and the whole 23-man squad to get the result. It’s more of a reflection of the teams I’ve been involved in, rather than myself.”
Most crucially of all, he continues to be far from satisfied. England may have Australia exactly where they want them but a 3-0 margin would send out an unequivocal message to the world. “Obviously we’re happy with how the tour’s gone so far but it’s not over. We’ve got another huge game and we want to finish the tour well this Saturday. To play for England is pretty special and you don’t want to take anything for granted,” says Itoje. “I’m as desperate to play as I was in the first two games. If you don’t have that kind of attitude you won’t be here very long.”
Aside from James Haskell, who looks a near-certain absentee with a foot problem, and Jack Nowell, who is still going through the required concussion protocols, England also have no pressing injury issues, enabling them to focus primarily on extending a victorious Test sequence that will extend into double figures should they win the third Test as well. Jones would love nothing better and is suitably appreciative of the substantial role Itoje has been playing: “He gives us more of a contest at the breakdown. Having a fast second-row helps when you’ve got a heavier back row; that’s how we get the balance of the team.”
It would also seem just a matter of time before the young giant, whose heroes include Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Muhammad Ali, gravitates to the captaincy. In the meantime, the phrase “dead rubber” has absolutely no place in his lexicon. “Every game I play there are goals I want to achieve,” he insists. “Ultimately, that’s what we aim for. I don’t think anyone has ever had a perfect game, but that’s what we strive for.
“If there is a difference from a year ago, the most significant one is experience. I’m now much more relaxed in the buildup to games. I have more clarity of thought and that eases tensions going into these big occasions.”
England are lucky indeed to have their boy wonder; a shell-shocked Australia must somehow subdue a world-class talent who is giving both club and country an extra dimension.
