sports
February 2, 2026
Steve Borthwick asks for England fans’ roar in support of grieving Maro Itoje
Itoje missed start of camp to attend mother’s funeral
TL;DR
- Maro Itoje will start on the bench for England's Six Nations opener against Wales.
- Itoje missed the start of England's training camp to attend his mother's funeral in Nigeria.
- Jamie George will captain the team in Itoje's absence from the starting lineup.
- Henry Arundell has been selected to start on the wing, with Tommy Freeman at outside centre.
- Coach Steve Borthwick highlighted the strong connection and tightness within the current England squad.
- England's bench strategy, featuring a six-two split with five British & Irish Lions, is noted as a significant weapon.
Continue reading the original article