There is no prospect of Maro Itoje getting ahead of himself, never mind carried away, after a breakthrough season that saw him on the winning side in every match he started, helping Saracens to a league and European double, England to a grand slam and a 3-0 series whitewash in Australia.
It is a record that seems to hold little scope for improvement, although Itoje did not feature in England’s opening match of the Six Nations, against Scotland at Murrayfield, but the 21-year-old sees it differently with Joe Launchbury and Courtney Lawes, players who a year ago were being tipped as England’s lock partnership through to the 2019 World Cup, intent on recapturing their starting places.
The position of second row has come to epitomise the resources the England head coach Eddie Jones enjoys: Itoje and George Kruis have been rampant this year, Launchbury and Lawes are proven Test players while Dave Attwood has become an injury option and the 2013 Test Lion Geoff Parling was pensioned off early.
“I am nowhere near the finished article and I am definitely not at my peak,” said Itoje, who has been used at blindside flanker by Saracens, starting with his debut against Cardiff Blues in the LV=Cup in January 2013, an option Jones has not ruled out for England at some point. “I am just 21 and there are a number of things the coaches have highlighted to me I need to improve. What they are is between me and them and I like to keep it that way.
“As a team, England have to improve because we are not where we want to be. We are still growing, and if we do not get better we go downhill. If as a player you do not improve personally, the part you want to play will cease to exist. All the second rows in the squad want to stay in the team as long as possible. We are all motivated and help each other go the extra mile. The environment at Saracens and England stops anyone from getting carried away.”
Itoje, in his understated way, describes last season as going “fairly well”. He certainly fared well but points out that both Saracens and England have young squads whose achievements so far mark the beginning, with the end some way in the distance.
“If we continue to work hard, stay humble and be hungry we will get better,” he said. “The age profiles of Saracens and England are fairly young and every time I go to training, I do not want to waste the day. With England, Eddie came in and brought his coaching team who have all contributed. The players have taken a lot of responsibility in pushing the team forward and we have to keep that going.”
Itoje was speaking after England’s three-day training camp this month, the squad’s first meeting since the new agreement between Twickenham and the Premiership clubs was signed which gives Jones greater access outside of competition to his enlarged squad.
“I chilled out after the Australia tour, seeing a friend who lives in the United States and then seeing all the sights in Spain,” said Itoje, who was recently named among the 50 most influential people in rugby union. “I am not sure what formula was used for that, but it will not change anything for me. I still work with the same people every day and my family treat me the same way, which I find quite refreshing.
“It keeps things in perspective and real, which is what I want. I am very fortunate to be surrounded by good people at Saracens and England, and my family play a big role. My mum and dad are always advising me and I think when you surround yourself with people who are pushing you to get better and not trying to drag you down, then as long as you want it to happen and keep working hard, it will.
“The reality of professional sport is that nothing is plain sailing and bad times occur but not, I hope, for a while.”
