Why Jones must stay despite Six Nations low
» maro Itoje has no doubt that Eddie Jones is still the coach to lead England in the aftermath of a disappointing Six Nations
With Eddie Jones’s future still subject to the ongoing Rugby Football Union review, Maro Itoje would happily volunteer as first witness for the defence in the trial of the England head coach.
This by itself is significant. As a player, Itoje is likely to remain the totem of this England team for years to come. He is already England’s most marketable figure, and his profile is starting to transcend rugby, something which only a select few players have managed.
So when the 26-year-old says that Jones should be retained “without a shadow of a doubt” despite England finishing fifth in the Six Nations, that is an unequivocal message that will be heard by the RFU’S powerbrokers.
No amount of gloss can make the campaign seem better than it was but Itoje’s message amounts to: keep calm and carry on; Jones pulled England out of a tailspin in 2018, he can do it again.
In the immediate aftermath of England’s 32-18 defeat by Ireland, Itoje described Jones as a “truly special” coach and that is a theme he picks up again.
“I think Eddie’s work rate is second none,” Itoje tells The Daily Telegraph. “The man does not sleep. He works very hard.
He has an incredible sense and feel for people. He knows how to motivate people.
He knows how to command a room. He is probably about 5ft 6in but he can walk into a room and command authority and respect.”
When Itoje first came on the scene, Jones described him as a Vauxhall Viva that needed to become a BMW. The second row embraced that challenge, although his engine stalled a couple of times in the latest Six Nations, in which he conceded a tournament-high 12 penalties, five of which came in the 40-24 defeat by Wales. In that instance, there was no need for a lengthy post-mortem with Jones.
“I think after that game, you pretty much know, if you are honest with yourself,” Itoje says. “I knew straight away I needed to do better. I did have a conversation with Eddie after that game but he and I both knew what needed to be done.”
Jones’s carrot-and-stick approach remains. It is understood that Jones has previously used All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick’s statistics to force improvement from Itoje. But to get the best out of individuals, Jones looks beyond the player to tap into their potential. Itoje reveals Jones was instrumental in persuading him to take up a master’s degree in business administration.
“Eddie has had a huge impact on my career, no doubt,” Itoje says. “He never allows me to just be happy with what I have achieved – not that I would anyway – or what the team have achieved. He is constantly looking to squeeze more and more out of you.
“He challenges me to have more positive influence on the team, but also to be an all-round better person. I am studying a master’s at the moment and I remember about two years ago I mentioned to him I was thinking about studying a master’s. He was pushing me to do it more, so, probably after my dad, he was the second pushiest person wanting me to do that.” The question frequently raised about Jones is quite how far
‘Eddie challenges me to be an all-round better person’
he pushes his players. His intense training methods have broken bodies while the mental toll may be even higher, particularly during the Covid-19 restrictions.
However, Itoje insists there is no alternative at this level. “In highperformance sport, you have to be pushed hard,” Itoje says. “There is a balance to it. As players we want to be pushed. As players we want to make sure we get the very best out of ourselves.
“Another thing about Eddie, no one is more critical than him of what needs to be done. He is constantly looking for ways for the team to get better and for the players to get better. However, he is still constantly looking for ways that he can get better. He has been coaching a long time and his passion to continue to get better and continue to learn is remarkable.”
There is no mistaking Itoje’s relief to be out of the bubble after nearly nine weeks cooped up at the Lensbury in Teddington. “It is liberating to walk outside your room without putting a face mask on,” he says. “It takes time to slowly decompress and try to relax. Fortunately, Saracens have given me this week to do just that. I am in a decent place at the moment.”
With his time off, Itoje has teamed with Under Armour to announce a £1 million donation of sports equip
ment to disadvantaged communities in the United Kingdom and Africa through the charity Kit Us Out.
“It is giving those communities, who don’t have access to sports equipment, a leg up so they can get that one step closer to expressing themselves through the sport they love,” Itoje says.
This year, Itoje threw his weight behind a campaign to help tackle the laptop shortage in schools, which has left a significant number of pupils unfairly disadvantaged, particularly during the pandemic.
As Oliver Brown recently wrote on these pages, Itoje is no longer content to be defined purely by his rugby accomplishments. He wants to leave his mark on society as well as sport.
“When I look at athletes who I admire the most, they are obviously great at what they do, they are championship-level athletes,” Itoje says. “But the ones I admire the most are the ones who have some kind of impact or who are different, who can have a long-lasting impact on people’s lives. The very top tier of athletes do that and if I can have a fraction of that positive impact on other people’s lives, then that will be a job well done.”