Maro Itoje has called on his England side to put Italy to the sword on Sunday before worrying about a bumper points haul that could boost their hopes of clinching the Six Nations title.
England go in search of a third straight victory of this year’s championship and are hot favourites to do so, having never lost to the Azzurri. Both their recent victories, against France and Scotland, were secured by a solitary point, however, with question marks raised over their clunky attack.
Should France overturn the defending champions Ireland in Dublin, an emphatic victory would improve England’s points difference and with it their chances of lifting the trophy on the final weekend of the championship. Itoje warned his side against chasing a big score from the word go but believes England can turn on the style, insisting that their attack has come in for undue criticism after scoring eight tries in their three matches to date.
“We want to win, we want to win well,” he said. “But to do that, we have to do all the tough stuff that rugby requires. It’s not going to be an easy game. It’s not going to be a straightforward game. There’s expectation in games like this. In the last two games we didn’t come in as favourites but there was still a level of expectation from ourselves and even external voices as well that England should do well.
“So the level of expectation is there, always there. But I would just say it’s about us, again, going for that performance, having the courage to play the way we want to play and having the bravery to see it through.
“My main thing is, win the game. I have been in situations, I remember the [Saracens] game against Castres at the end of the block before we came here. We definitely should have beaten them, our team was stronger, but our mindset was a little bit off. We were probably trying to create a big scoreline before we actually deserved it.
“So for me, first and foremost, get the boys right, myself right to win the game and win it well. Hopefully we get to that position, then maybe [points difference] will play a factor in my mind. But first and foremost, win the game.
“[The attack] is an area that we want to improve in. But I would say I don’t think our attack is as bad as everyone is saying it is. Obviously we only scored one last week. But I don’t think that’s reflective of an attack that can’t even start the engine. Don’t get me wrong. We want to improve. But I don’t think we’re starting from a bad place.”
Itoje captains England for the fourth time but it will be Jamie George leading the side out to mark his 100th cap on his first start since he was replaced in the role by his Saracens teammate. Itoje was full of praise for the impact George has had on his career, revealing he is saved as “Jamie Under His Wing” in his contacts book – a nod to the mentoring role he provided in his early days at Saracens.
“I don’t know if ‘letting him lead the team out’ is the right phrase, he will lead the team out,” added Itoje. “I’m 30 now, I joined Saracens when I was 18. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have played with him for so long. I’ve definitely become a better player as a result of spending time and playing with Jamie. He’s a great rugby player, he has a great rugby mind, he’s also a great human being as well. He’s great to be around, he’s the man of the people.
“I haven’t changed what he saved his number as. It’s ‘Jamie Under His Wing’. He put me under his wing, he helped me, gave me words of advice. He also set the standard. Despite his appearance he is an incredibly athletic player, fit, strong. He set a standard to live up to in many ways.
“Him being a hooker, me starting as a second-row and then a lineout-calling second-row, that is a relationship that we have been building for a number of years now. I think when I got his number he typed it, but it was fitting.”
