Itoje Finds Solace in England Team During Mother's Passing
Maro Itoje has found support within the England rugby team as he deals with the recent death of his mother, Florence. His mother passed away in December, and Itoje traveled to Nigeria, his parents' homeland, for her funeral. The England coaching staff, including head coach Steve Borthwick and acting captain Jamie George, offered him considerable backing during this difficult period.
Florence Itoje's Death: Maro Itoje's mother, Florence, died in December.
Funeral in Nigeria: Itoje accompanied his mother's remains to Nigeria for her burial.
Team Support: England coach Steve Borthwick and stand-in captain Jamie George provided Itoje with support.
Constant Presence: Itoje noted his mother's consistent attendance at his games.
Past Coaching Dynamics and Itoje's Ambitions
During his time under former England coach Eddie Jones, Itoje faced questioning regarding his leadership potential. Jones reportedly probed Itoje about his lack of visible scars, suggesting a lack of toughness, and questioned his suitability for captaincy due to perceived self-centeredness. Itoje has stated that he disagreed with this assessment and maintains a desire to play with aggression.
Jones's Style: Former coach Eddie Jones reportedly challenged Itoje's character.
"Scars" Question: Jones questioned Itoje's physical "scars" as an indicator of toughness.
"Self-Centred" Remark: Jones allegedly suggested Itoje was too self-centered to be captain.
Itoje's Rebuttal: Itoje stated he disagreed with Jones's assessment.
Aggressive Play: Itoje intends to continue playing with aggression.
Itoje Takes on England Captaincy with Measured Approach
Maro Itoje has officially taken on the role of England's captain. In his first press conference as skipper, Itoje presented a composed and articulate demeanor, emphasizing the importance of actions over words in leadership. He drew upon experiences with past leaders, including teammates like Billy and Mako Vunipola, Richard Wigglesworth, and Dylan Hartley, as well as leaders from the British and Irish Lions.
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New Captain: Maro Itoje is the new captain of England.
Press Conference Style: Itoje spoke articulately and reservedly in his first press conference.
Leadership Philosophy: He highlighted that actions are more influential than words.
Mentorship: Itoje referenced former captains and leaders from his career as influences.
Sources Used:
AP News: "Maro Itoje has been grateful for having England to anchor him while mourning the death of his mother Florence. She died in December and he accompanied her remains back to Nigeria, where his parents are from, for the funeral. England coach Steve Borthwick and stand-in captain Jamie George were happy to give Itoje — the captain of England and the British and Irish Lions — all the support he needed."
Link: https://apnews.com/article/maro-itoje-mother-england-fe17c29f122547bf20ca2af197ccfd03
The Times: "It was a management style that Jones adopted with Itoje throughout his tenure as England coach, from questioning why he did not have enough scars on his face to suggesting he was too self-centred to become England captain. Itoje’s first challenge is to drive England through that barrier. There’s always an element of pressure when you play for England. In short, he never agreed with the Australian’s assessment that he was too selfish to be a captain. I still want to be as aggressive as I can be,” he said."
Ruck: "He is very articulate, he understands people, he understands the game really well. Itoje broke his personal silence in his regular reserved and coherent manner, and gave his first official press conference as England’s new skipper. People like Billy and Mako (Vunipola), Wiggy (Richard Wigglesworth), people like Dylan, who was captain of England when I first joined. My first captain was Steve, I was in the academy, and he was in his last year as a professional at around 35 and I could see how he operated as a captain. Even in a Lions context, some of the captains there, even some of the leaders who weren’t officially team captain."
