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The Guardian
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
‘Cool, calm and collected': Maro Itoje earns place in pantheon of Lions greats
Maro Itoje's place in the pantheon of British & Irish Lions greats was not in doubt before Saturday's remarkable series-clinching victory, but after it you sense we may come to wonder whether there has ever been better. He joins Sam Warburton and Martin Johnson having led the Lions to a series victory in the professional era. Do not bet against him sticking around to tour New Zealand in four years' time. Itoje's performance was not flawless on a wild night at the Melbourne Cricket Ground when the Lions somehow came back from 18 points down. No one wearing red could lay claim to that. He made mistakes – plenty of them – in the first half. But he deserves enormous credit for how he guided the Lions back into the contest towards the end of the first half and into the lead in the final minute. The Lions have not been tested like this since they arrived in Australia more than a month ago, but their response demonstrated their level of character. 'Cool, calm and collected. He was outstanding in his captaincy,' said the head coach, Andy Farrell. 'As the game started to unfold in front of us he was calm and he understood what was needed. How he communicated with the referee and [dealt] with the flow of the game was absolutely spot on. If you listened back to it you'd recognise what a class act he was.' Two second-half interventions stood out. Winning a penalty at the breakdown in the 63rd minute and sacking an Australian maul with eight minutes remaining. Both were key moments in swinging the game back in favour of his side. The latter was greeted by a roar of delight from Farrell in the coaches' box, so aware was he of the importance. This was Itoje's 33rd match of the season and he has started all of them. By any measure – including those dictated by the Rugby Football Union – that is too many and there have been times along the way he has looked exhausted. His ability to raise his level of performance when the pressure is at its greatest is a remarkable talent to possess, however. Having been the Lions player of the tour in 2021 he was named man of the match in this victory that clinched a first series win in 12 years and he found himself in front of the cameras. It was a rare occasion when you had to disagree with him. 'We got the win and that's all that matters,' he said, but how this stunning contest played out matters a whole lot more. Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion The Lions were 1-4 favourites to wrap up the series. They have been talking loudly and proudly about targeting a 3-0 whitewash. Another dominant, one-sided affair would have sucked the life out of the series, but it is not an exaggeration to say that a contest as dramatic as this breathes some much-needed life into the concept of the Lions. That winning is all that matters has come to be a stick with which to beat the Lions. They have not won hearts and minds here and their laser focus on winning above all else has jarred with the anachronisms of the institution. Another cakewalk and we might have been wondering whether the Lions needed to take themselves quite so seriously. Indeed, not long before kick-off the stadium announcer, who may one day come to learn that less is more, asked the 90,307 inside the MCG 'who wants some Test match rugby?' The inference was that we did not really get any last week. Instead, we were given a thrilling reminder of how captivating Test rugby can be. It was not necessarily the quality of it that stood out – both sides will reflect on a considerable number of mistakes – but it was thrill-a-minute with last-gasp controversy for good measure. Unlike last Saturday, when the overriding emotion among the Lions at the final whistle was relief, there was genuine jubilation this time round. Itoje led his players around the bowl of this cavernous area and drank it all in, allowing himself a moment before resetting his sights on the whitewash. 'These are one of those moments in your life that you'll cherish,' he said. 'It will live long in the memory. This has always been the goal. I'm just delighted, this is what dreams are made of.'
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
‘Cool, calm and collected': Maro Itoje earns place in pantheon of Lions greats
Maro Itoje's place in the pantheon of British & Irish Lions greats was not in doubt before this remarkable series-clinching victory, but after it you sense we may come to wonder whether there has ever been better. He joins Sam Warburton and Martin Johnson having lead the Lions to a series victory in the professional era, and do not bet against him sticking around to tour New Zealand in four years' time. Itoje's performance was not flawless on a wild night at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in which the Lions somehow clawed their way back from 18 points down. Truth be told, no one wearing red could lay claim to that. He made mistakes - plenty of them - in the first half, with the Wallabies welcoming back Will Skelton and Rob Valetini. But he deserves enormous credit for the manner in which he guided the Lions back into the contest towards the end of the first half and into the lead in the final minute. The Lions have not been tested like this since they arrived in Australia more than a month ago but their response demonstrated their level of character. 'Cool, calm and collected and I thought he was outstanding in his captaincy,' said the head coach Andy Farrell. 'As the game started to unfold in front of us he was calm and he understood what was needed. How he communicated with the referee and [dealt] with the flow of the game was absolutely spot on. If you listened to it back you'd recognise what a class act he was.' Two second-half interventions stood out. Winning a penalty at the breakdown in the 63rd minute and sacking an Australian maul with eight minutes remaining. Both were key moments in swinging the momentum back in favour of his side, which has now become his trademark. The latter was greeted by a roar of delight from Farrell in the coaches' box, so aware was he of how important it was. He will be equally aware of Tom Curry's crucial tackle on Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in the second half. This was Itoje's 33rd match of the season and he has started all of them. By any measure, – including those dictated by the Rugby Football Union, that is too many - and there have been times along the way that he has looked exhausted. His ability to raise his level of performance when the pressure is at its greatest is a remarkable talent to possess, however. Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion Having been the Lions player of the tour in 2021 he was named man of the match in this victory that clinched a first series win in 12 years, and in the immediate aftermath he found himself in front of the cameras. It was a rare occasion when you had to disagree with him. 'We got the win and that's all that matters,' he said, but truth be told, the manner in which this stunning contest played out matters a whole lot more. The Lions were 1-4 favourites to wrap up the series. They have been talking loudly and proudly about targeting a 3-0 whitewash. Another dominant, one-sided affair would have sucked the life out of the series but it is not an exaggeration to say that a contest as dramatic as this breathes some much-needed life into the concept of the Lions. That winning is all that matters has come to be a stick with which to beat the Lions. They have not won hearts and minds in Australia and across the tour their laser focus on winning above all else has jarred with the anachronisms of the institution. Another cakewalk here and we might have been wondering whether the Lions needed to take themselves quite so seriously. Indeed, not long before kick-off the stadium announcer, who may one day come to learn that less is more, asked the 90,307 people inside the Melbourne Cricket Ground, 'who wants some Test match rugby?'. The inference was that we did not really get any last week. Instead, we were given a thrilling reminder of just how captivating Test rugby can be. It was not necessarily the quality of it that stood out - both sides will reflect on a considerable number of mistakes - but it was thrill-a-minute with last-gasp controversy for good measure. Unlike last weekend, when the overriding emotion among the Lions at the final whistle was relief, there was genuine jubilation this time round. Itoje led his players around the bowl of this cavernous area and drank it all in, allowing himself a moment before resetting his sights on a 3-0 whitewash. 'It was surreal,' said Itoje. 'These are one of those moments in your life that you'll cherish. It will live long in the memory. This has always been the goal. I'm just delighted, this is what dreams are made of.'
Daily Mail
19-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Captain Maro Itoje backed to be 'calm voice amongst the carnage' as British & Irish Lions take on Australia in Test opener
Recent Lions history has proved that the captain must talk the talk as well as walk the walk – and Maro Itoje has been backed to be 'the calm voice amongst the carnage'. Eight years ago, the enthralling series between the British and Irish tourists and the All Blacks finished on a knife-edge, as the hosts were awarded a last-minute penalty in Auckland, only for the decision to be dramatically over-turned. French referee Romain Poite's momentous U-turn – which led to a draw and 1-1 series stalemate – was attributed in large part to the diplomacy skills of the statesmanlike Lions captain in 2017, Sam Warburton. It is a major part of the leadership role; that ability to communicate effectively with the officials and establish a productive rapport, which may just come in handy in the event of 50-50 calls. Even when overwhelmed by fatigue, the skipper's task is to successfully engage in amateur psychology, in order to strike the right tone and press the right buttons. Referees all have their own manner and their own individual approach to enforcing rugby's complex laws. In the series against Australia, the whistle will be wielded by men from three different countries, on either side of the equator. At Suncorp Stadium, in the first Test, New Zealander Ben O'Keeffe will be in charge. A week later in Melbourne, the job will be taken on by Georgia's Nika Amashukeli, followed by Andrea Piardi of Italy in Sydney. Itoje is an intelligent man and a keen observer of human nature. He knows that he will have to adapt his approach in each match. 'It's slightly different, depending on the refs,' he said. 'You have to make an assessment. Some refs are more amenable to communication than others and you have to take a read. You have to choose your moments. I have some principles that I like to be consistent with, but you also have to adapt it a little bit depending on the refs. 'Referees, like players, are all a little bit different – they all have different cues and things that they like, in terms of their personality. Some refs are more orientated towards set piece. Some refs are more orientated towards breakdown. Some are a bit more (focused) on the defensive line, offside and that kind of stuff. 'It's just about assessing the referee, but also trying to build a rapport and relationship. Fortunately, I've played quite a few games of rugby now, so most of the referees have refereed me before and I've either been a senior player or a captain with most of the referees at this point, so there's a decent relationship built with most of them.' There is a possibility that this level of familiarity may give the Lions a faint edge, given the doubt about the identity of the Wallabies captain on the eve of their team announcement. Itoje honed his leadership craft as captain of Saracens last season – and he was promoted to the job with England before the Six Nations; handling the duties with aplomb. He is a polite and articulate man, who adopts respectful, deferential body language, to negate the fact that he towers over officials. Ben Earl, a team-mate with club and country, was asked whether the lock is good with referees and joked: 'Well, let's hope so!' On a more serious note, he added: 'Maro's been brilliant at that for as long as he's been a captain. He's always been the calm voice amongst the carnage, he's always been the one that brings calmness to the chaos, even in his voice. 'Then his actions as well – even though he's playing right on the edge, it always seems like it's well in his control. Everything he's doing is in his control.' Itoje has proved his ability to talk the talk within the Lions squad too. He has made a positive impression on the non-England players who have not experienced his leadership before. Tadhg Beirne – who has captained the Lions twice on this trip – said: 'He's been brilliant. He speaks very well, particularly in the changing-room and in the huddles. He's very well-spoken and leads by example on the field as well, so there's not much more you can ask from your captain.' For someone with such a colossal reputation as a world-class figure and rugby icon, Itoje retains an air of humility, which endears him to the men around him. There is supreme self-assurance but no obvious streak of arrogance. When asked how he has tried to put his stamp on the squad and on this tour, the skipper's response was illuminating. 'My style of doing things is not necessarily being front and centre of everything,' he said. 'I don't necessarily want to be the one who talks all the time or the one who's being in front of this and that and trying to stick my chest out and be like, 'I'm the captain, do what I say'. 'I think my leadership style is to lead through my actions and by setting a good example to the team in terms of how to behave. I've helped put together committees and social things by delegating to those people who I've asked to lead in those areas and I check in every now and again to see if everything is going according to plan and if they need anything.' Assessing the impact Itoje has made, as the Lions prepare for the business end of this gruelling tour, Earl once again provided fascinating insight about a man he knows so well. 'It's been as seamless for him as any role that he gets,' he said. 'I'm not surprised anymore when he takes these roles and it just fits perfectly. I think he's played tremendously. 'The thing with Maro is his playing has always been the first thing, the most important thing and what he's led by the most. Everything that comes after that is almost an added bonus; because he's already done half the leadership stuff by just playing how he does. 'Maro made a very good point when we first met up. He said we've probably got 38 guys who are very much used to being 'the man' in almost every team they play. Throw them all together and people are going to have to make some adjustments. Everyone, to a man, has been brilliant with that and Maro has just led the way on how that looks. 'Before the Western Force game, when he wasn't playing, Maro was scouring tape of their lineouts so that he could prepare the boys as well as he could. That is massively impressive. He's a standard-bearer in terms of what a good team-mate looks like.' Another of the England contingent in the Lions squad who knows Itoje well is Marcus Smith. The playmaker spoke about how the captain has 'commanded authority at the right times' and noted his willingness to delegate. But the other point that Smith made was how his supportive nature has really come to the fore. 'The thing with Maro is that he deeply cares about the person, about the individual,' he said. 'He has good emotional intelligence around what makes someone tick, whether you give someone a kick up the backside if they need it or he puts his arm around you. He has that balance which I think is important in the topsy-turvy nature of rugby.' Andy Farrell chose to appoint Itoje as captain – a logical decision which was rendered a formality once the other prime contender, Ireland's Caelan Doris, was ruled out of the tour due to injury. Asked to assess how the Lion King has fared, the head coach said: 'Great, as you could imagine. He's thinking differently to other people with regards to what's going on with the group and what the group need. He doesn't need to be told to be himself and calls his own meetings. 'He has a feel of where we're at and where we're going, and he's also found the lads that he knows are going to help him with those types of situations. I think the performance that he gave against the Reds settled him in even more.' That tour game in Brisbane on July 2 was when Itoje really asserted his authority on the field and proved beyond any doubt that he wouldn't be a tour captain fearing for his place in the Test side. He was massively influential and imperious, as he has been so often for England and for Saracens. Wallabies lock Will Skelton enjoyed a successful stint at the club and he knows all about the threat posed by the Lions captain, saying: 'He's a guy you love to have in your team. He's a great leader, player and person. Playing against him, he's extremely energetic. He's always live, he's a nuisance around the rucks and has a great rugby IQ.' Itoje will need that IQ, to help him build bonds with the officials and keep – calmly – talking the talk.
Daily Mirror
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Sam Warburton telling comment on Lions achievement and 'cut-throat' Brian O'Driscoll call
British and Irish Lions icon Sam Warburton remains the last winning Tour captain after the Welshman led the group to success in Australia in 2013 - with their wait now spanning 12 years Lions great Sam Warburton admits he now realises how hard it is to win a Test series having watched the Lions go 12 years without a victory. It was back in 2013 in Australia that they last celebrated such a triumph - where Warburton was captain. Warren Gatland led a group Down Under who claimed victory in a deciding Test in Sydney. That victory itself ended a run of 16 years without a series victory and Warburton, then on his first tour, now looks back on that success with his eyes opened. He was again captain four years later when the Lions drew a remarkable series in New Zealand. Back in 2021 against South Africa, two years on from winning the Rugby World Cup, the Lions lost late on in the deciding Third Test, further adding to their wait for victory. It has shone even more of a light on their victory over the Wallabies in 2013, which begun with a Test win in Brisbane ahead of this weekend's opener at Suncorp Stadium. And 12 years ago Australia were in the midst of a hugely successful period, making Warburton's and the Lions' victory even sweeter. The Welshman, a Canterbury ambassador, told Mirror Sport: "I've realised how hard a Lions victory is. 2017 didn't win, 2021 obviously didn't win, so you sort of look back at go 'crikey, there's not many tours you get victories'. So really proud that we finished that tour with a victory and you can say you're a winning Lion. It's never about the individual, you want to say you're part of a winning squad. "Back then Australia they came third in the 2011 World Cup, second in the 2015 World Cup, and we caught them in the middle of that so they were a pretty tough Australia team. So looking back, proud of the lads." In a bittersweet moment for Warburton he was pictured lifting the trophy and celebrating with his team-mates whilst donning a suit - not his kit. A hamstring injury had ruled him out of the deciding Test, leaving Alun Wyn Jones to step in as captain. And he concedes that you don't quite feel the same level of achievement when you've not given your blood and sweat to the defining moment - which only ignited his desire to make the 2017 Tour. "First thing after 2013, everyone's celebrating the win, but my first thought was I've got to get on 2017," confessed Warburton. "It was great, but unless you've gone through the weeks prep, all the emotions that go with it, then the physical effort in the game and come out the other end. It was still great, but it is sweeter when you're there on the pitch. "Don't want it to sound selfish, but 2017 I was more pleased with because I contributed across all three Tests. So 2017 I sort of look back on and, personally, find was a greater achievement even though we didn't win, and was arguably against a better team. So yeah it did feel like unfinished business." The Third Test in Australia, whilst remembered as a defining victory, will always be associated with the era-defining decision from Gatland to drop Brian O'Driscoll. The Irish great was overlooked for what would've been his final Lions outing. Jonathan Davies paired up with the returning Jamie Roberts and that resigned O'Driscoll to a spot watching from the stands. Even captain Warburton was given no heads up, but at a time where ruthless decisions were part of everyday life it wasn't until he returned home that he realised just how much the media had blown up. He said: "I found out during team selection. I didn't know, didn't get a heads up. I'll be honest I thought Brian would start. I thought it would be the perfect swan song. I remember thinking, 'That's a bit of surprise', but Jon and Jamie are brilliant, so let's just get on with it. "You see cut-throat decisions all the time. The way players were dealt with in training, with selection, some of the feedback you get is pretty direct. So when you saw things like that happen it felt quite normal." O'Driscoll and his Ireland colleague Paul O'Connell both played crucial parts in the 2013 Series and acted as the perfect foil for Warburton, who was then only 24, but renowned for his leadership qualities. The Welshman though wasn't determined to lead via authority. Instead he encouraged those who had captained the Lions before - O'Driscoll in 2005 and O'Connell in 2009 - to speak up when the moments arose. Even encouraging O'Driscoll to rally the group as the Irishman urged Warburton to deliver a battlecry, only for him to insist it came from the veteran. He said: "I always though as captain, let the others leaders lead. So in 2013, rather than be like I'm captain, I'm going to be the constant voice, I wanted Paul O'Connell and Brian O'Driscoll to talk, be vocal and drive things. You can't supress those guys. Same in 2017, let them speak, because its good for the group to hear multiple voices. "The art of captaincy is how can you assemble the best leadership group around you - let the other captains still be captains."
The Guardian
17-07-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Welsh wipeout in Lions squad reflects sorry decline from nation's storied history
When the British & Irish Lions last won a Test series in 2013, Leigh Halfpenny scored a record 49 points and fellow Wales international Sam Warburton captained the side to glory in Australia with Warren Gatland coaching. Twelve years on, for the first time since 1896, not a single Welsh player will be represented in the Lions' matchday squad for Saturday's first Test in Brisbane. Jac Morgan's omission is a sign of rugby's decline in Wales in recent years, a far cry from the glorious 1970s when household names like Gareth Edwards, Barry John and JPR Williams were indispensable figures. There was always a distinct possibility of a Welsh wipeout though, with scrum-half Tomos Williams, one of only two Wales players on the plane to Australia, already out with a torn hamstring. However the Lions coach, Andy Farrell, refused to play into the narrative, claiming Morgan was 'as close as you could imagine' to getting selected. 'Look, you're gutted for players like that and Josh [Van der Flier] as well, and Henry [Pollock] as well, because they're playing good rugby and could easily be in this side on Saturday,' Farrell said. 'But I suppose that shows the good place we're at as a group.' With Morgan sidelined, Tom Curry has been handed the No 7 jersey. There are 11 players from Ireland, nine from England and three from Scotland in the Lions' matchday 23. It's a poor reflection of Welsh rugby, especially given the heroics of the 1971 Lions tour to New Zealand when a team packed with Welsh talent such as the aforementioned trio famously earned their only series win over the All Blacks. Even on the most recent tour in 2021, six Welshmen led by captain Alun Wyn Jones started the final Test against South Africa, ending in a 19-16 defeat, with Welsh fly-half Dan Biggar emerging as the top points scorer that year. On the past seven Lions tours dating back to 1997, five Welsh players (Neil Jenkins, Stephen Jones (twice), Halfpenny and Biggar) were the top Test points scorers. Since then, the drop off has been steep. Wales have only just halted a dismal 18-game losing streak, while the Welsh Rugby Union is considering reducing funding for their teams over sustainability concerns. It is undeniable that their halcyon days are long gone, although Farrell said he based his decision on individual performances. 'Honestly, as far as selection is concerned, we can't get involved in that because you take every individual as it is. Who deserves to get picked,' he said. 'It just so happens that Jac was unbelievably close and in great form so there's not much more he could have done.' Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion Former Wales and Lions player Dafydd James expressed concern at the lack of Welsh representation, describing it as 'a travesty'. He told the BBC: 'It's sobering and a sad indictment of the way the game has gone in Wales. Only two players being selected is hard, and you'd have to say on the back of 18 losses we were always going to be up against it trying to get many more players.' Centre Tom Shanklin, who played for the Lions in New Zealand in 2005, said the situation was a product of what is currently happening in Welsh rugby, adding: 'Even back in the 90s when Wales were not winning championships we still had outstanding individuals like Allan Bateman, Scott Gibbs and Neil Jenkins who could mix it with the best. We don't have enough players like Jac Morgan or Tomos Williams.'
