VOICE MALE

England coach Eddie has doubts if Itoje is a natural leader for his country... but his club say: Maro is somebody that EVERYONE listens to

SARACENS have wasted no time tapping into the leadership skills of Maro Itoje that Eddie Jones this week called into question.

In his new book on leadership, Jones says he does not see Itoje as a future England captain because he is “very inward-looking”.

The Red Rose boss adds that his second-row star “drives himself rather than anyone else. He doesn’t usually influence people off the field”.

Itoje, who skippered England to Junior World Cup glory in 2014, played every minute of the autumn Tests with Tonga, Australia and South Africa, yet made himself available to start for Saracens against Sale tomorrow.

Sarries boss Mark Mccall (below) said: “Maro’s always been a very important leader here, even from a young age. He’s somebody people listen to.

“He just jumps back in there and was very important in our training sessions this week. It’s great to have him back.”

Itoje is the only player to start for England this autumn and Saracens tomorrow, where he will come up against international team-mates Bevan Rodd, Raffi Quirke and Tom Curry.

The game marks a reunion between Sale boss Alex Sanderson and the London club with whom he spent 17 years as player and coach.

So close were the bonds forged that Sanderson is staying with Saracens attack coach Kevin Sorrell and planned to go out for a beer with his old mates last night.

He admits even his wife raised eyebrows at that but the 42-year old said: “The one thing you can take from sport, the forever thing that lasts, is the friendship and the memories you make.

“If you let professionalism and the need to win overcome all those principles of friendship, if winning matters that much to you, you’re some shallow person. If they start to take a lesser priority you’ve lost the essence of why you play.

“I don’t need to not speak to someone to want to beat them 24 hours later.”