‘I want this B&I Lions squad to be tough’ – Maro Itoje sets clear standards and calls for ‘selflessness’
British and Irish Lions captain Maro Itoje ahead of the squad announcement
British and Irish Lions captain Maro Itoje has set his stall out early ahead of the upcoming tour of Australia, detailing that he wants the side to be tough.
Two-time tourist Itoje is the first Englishman to captain the side for 24 years, and is one of 38 players headed Down Under this summer.
‘I want this Lions squad to be tough’
The Lions venture to Australia for the first time since 2013 – a series they won 2-1 – and skipper Itoje has laid down what he expects from his squad if they want to come home with the spoils again this time around.
“In terms of the type of rugby and the philosophies, that will be dictated by the coaches and Andy, but I want this Lions squad to be tough,” he said.
“I look at that forward pack and I see a group that’s tough.
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“I want us to be tight, that’s a huge thing. I want us to be an incredibly tight group of players that have each other’s backs, and play with a passion, an energy and zeal that you expect from a Lions squad.
“Regardless of who’s playing or what combination, that’s what the fans would expect of us.”
Itoje is one of 21 forwards named in Farrell’s 38-man squad, but whatever way it shapes up, it looks pretty formidable with Tadhg Beirne, Joe McCarthy, Ollie Chessum, Jac Morgan, Ben Earl and Tom Curry just some of the names amongst the heavies.
Leadership
It’s been a busy year for Itoje, captaincy-wise.
He was named Saracens club captain at the start of the Premiership season, and those duties swiftly translated to the Test stage too, as he was named England skipper ahead of the Six Nations and has now been given the same role again for the Lions.
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Leading the Lions is no mean feat, with the best players across the four nations selected on the tour, but this squad is particularly fresh-faced compared to previous iterations.
Just 12 of the 38 have been on a Lions tour in the past, and only he, Elliot Daly, Finn Russell and Tadhg Furlong will become three-time tourists at that, but again, the skipper has already given the rookies a clear message ahead of the series.
“There are a few things (I would tell them),” said the six-Test Lion. “The Lions works when the players are selfless. We all have to be selfless and put the Lions at the forefront of our minds and do whatever we can to make sure this is a successful tour.
“But, I also want players to enjoy it. This is an incredibly unique experience, tomorrow isn’t promised. Who knows if the guys on this tour will go again, you can’t imagine what’s going to happen in four years time.”
He added: “We have to enjoy it, but we enjoy it by working hard, giving all of ourselves to it and by being selfless. If we do all of those three things, with the talent we have in the group, it’s going to be a great tour.”
Attention, very briefly, returns back to the domestic season for the Lions players, before they begin their summer against Argentina in late June and later head Down Under to face the Wallabies.
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