Maro Itoje has been named England captain ahead of the Six Nations as Steve Borthwick makes a bold decision ahead of a vital tournament.
Itoje takes on the role of skipper from Saracens teammate Jamie George, who took the reins after the 2023 World Cup.
Long considered a future captain of his country, even amid significant debate over his leadership qualities, Lock’s appointment comes months after he was named club captain following the departure of Owen Farrell.
The 30-year-old will be supported by George and Ellis Genge as vice-captains as England look to bounce back from a disappointing autumn which saw them win just one of four matches.
Although Itoje has never led an England team on the field, he has regularly taken over the captaincy on the field following George’s replacement over the past 12 months. He won 88 England caps and appeared in six tests for the British and Irish Lions.
“I am incredibly humbled and honored that Steve has asked me to captain England,” Itoje said. “This is a truly incredible privilege for me and my family, and I am grateful to have had this opportunity.
“This role comes with great responsibility, but I am at a point in my career where I feel ready to give my all to serve the team and the fans with the captaincy, and also to give my best on the land.
“It is reassuring to know that there is a group of senior players to support me and help me build on the achievements of Jamie, who has led the team brilliantly and has been a great friend and leader for so many years.
“I’m excited about the squad of players we have, who are all hungry for success, and I can’t wait to lead them to the next Six Nations.”
Itoje made his England debut in 2016 and has since been a first-choice starter for Borthwick and his predecessor Eddie Jones.
Jones described Lock as “turned in on himself” during his tenure, believing others were more important leaders within his team, but Itoje grew and grew in stature even among England’s struggles .
“With 88 England caps, Maro has been a central figure in this team for many years, bringing a wealth of experience on and off the pitch,” explained Borthwick.
“He is a calm and influential leader, known for his commitment to maintaining high standards and his ability to motivate those around him.
“His strong relationships with the team and coaches, combined with his leadership experience at Saracens, make him ideally placed to take on this responsibility.
“I would like to recognize the exceptional leadership of Jamie George, whose contributions as captain have been significant and will continue to play an important role as vice-captain.”
Elsewhere in Borthwick’s 36-man squad, there is a call-up for number eight Tom Willis after an impressive season for Saracens.
Uncapped Harlequins back Oscar Beard and Cadan Murley are both included, but there is no place for veteran Dan Cole, who won his 118th international cap during the autumn.
At tight end, youngsters Asher Opoku-Fordjour and Joe Heyes are preferred, while there is a return for Sale’s Bevan Rodd on the other side of the front row.
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, Sam Underhill and George Furbank are among the key figures listed as unavailable due to injury, a group which also includes uncapped pair Gabriel Ibitoye and Afolabi Fasogbon. Ben Spencer, who started the autumn as England’s scrum-half, is left out with Alex Mitchell in good form.
Borthwick’s side will open their tournament against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on February 1.
England’s 36-man squad training for Six Nations
Advantages:
Fin Baxter (Harlequins, 6 caps)
Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers, 23 caps)
Alex Coles (Northampton Saints, 7 caps)
Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks, 44 caps)
Chandler Cunningham-South (Harlequins, 11 caps)
Ben Curry (Sale Sharks, 6 caps)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 56 caps)
Théo Dan (Saracens, 16 caps)
Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 20 caps)
Ben Earl (Saracens, 37 caps)
Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears, 66 caps) – vice-captain
Jamie George (Saracens, 97 caps) – vice-captain
Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers, 7 caps)
Ted Hill (Bath Rugby, 2 caps)
Maro Itoje (Saracens, 88 caps) – captain
George Martin (Leicester Tigers, 19 caps)
Asher Opoku-Fordjour (Sale Sharks, 1 cap)
Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 7 caps)
Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 45 caps)
Tom Willis (Saracens, 1 selection)
Back :
Oscar Beard (Harlequins, uncapped)
Elliot Daly (Saracens, 69 caps)
Fraser Dingwall (Northampton Saints, 2 caps)
George Ford (Sale Sharks, 98 caps)
Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints, 15 caps)
Ollie Lawrence (Bath Rugby, 31 caps)
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints, 18 caps)
Cadan Murley (Harlequins, uncapped)
Harry Randall (Bristol Bears, 11 caps)
Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks, 3 caps)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 69 caps)
Ollie Sleightholme (Northampton Saints, 5 caps)
Fin Smith (Northampton Saints, 6 caps)
Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 39 caps)
Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 35 caps)
Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers, 16 caps)
Rehabilitation: Afolabi Fasogbon (Gloucester Rugby), Immanuel Feyi-Waboso (Exeter Chiefs), George Furbank (Northampton Saints), Gabriel Ibitoye (Bristol Bears), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Luke Northmore (Harlequins) and Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby) .