Itoje makes strong case for England flanker role
As he frequently reminds us in both his pronouncements and squad selections, England head coach Eddie Jones puts little store in club performances. Yet even his head may have been turned by Maro Itoje’s showing at blindside flanker in Saracens’ victory against Lyon.
Jones employed Itoje in this capacity throughout the 2017 Six Nations Championship, but has since largely kept him in his natural habitat of the second row. There are legitimate doubts about his impact as a ball-carrier, which have been magnified by the absence of the Vunipola brothers from the Quilter international autumn series.
On Saturday, Itoje went some way to addressing those concerns. Only Liam Williams made more ground than Itoje’s 84 metres off five carries while no player on either side topped his totals for five defenders beaten and two offloads.
Saracens director of rugby Mark Mccall says he would have no qualms about Jones returning Itoje to blindside.
“Maro works on everything,” Mccall said. “He is last off the training field and has a hunger and desire to get better. He is carrying the ball much better than he’s ever carried it before. He looked really athletic today. He can play international rugby at six or lock and for the Lions at both. It suits us to have him at six ... but he can do both.”
In contrast to Itoje, another England blindside contender, Michael Rhodes, had a forgettable afternoon, conceding two turnovers and failing to stamp his mark on attack or defence. Yet Jones applies a different criteria to most coaches.
The highlight of Itoje’s performance was his Nfl-style strip-sack of Lyon second row Etienne Oosthuizen that he ran in for a try from the halfway line.
Fortunately for Saracens, replacement Alex Lewington scored their bonus-point try with three minutes remaining after what Mccall described as a “scratchy, patchy performance”. But Saracens still have a 100 per cent record and, ominously for the rest of the league, are nowhere near their best, according to captain Brad Barritt.
“The really exciting thing is that we are eight from eight, but we know that there is so much more to come from this team,” Barritt said.