Maro Itoje issues stern message to England as he steps into the captaincy - 'we NEED to work harder!'
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The words were spoken softly, but the message from Maro Itoje was firm. Tough. As England captain, he will be demanding. He wants greater effort from the team. He expects higher standards and better results. For so many years, this coveted role had appeared to be his destiny and now he has been given the responsibility at last; at the age of 30. Itoje was in the Eternal City on Tuesday to outline his vision and his mission, at the official Six Nations launch. Before dashing off to catch a train to Naples, on a circuitous route to England’s training camp in northern Spain, the Saracens lock made it abundantly clear that an enhanced collective effort can end the national team’s recent slump.
![[The 30-year-old was handed the armband on the heels of a troubling year for the national side]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/21/20/94363687-14310273-image-a-2_1737491532954.jpg)
In 2024, Steve Borthwick’s side lost seven of their 12 Tests. In response, the head coach opted for a leadership change; promoting Itoje to take over from his club-mate, Jamie George. There is a sense that the new figurehead has been charged with adding a hard edge to the spirit of unity which was selflessly driven by his popular predecessor.
![[Itoje paid tribute to his former captain and club-mate Jamie George as a 'top-class human']](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/21/20/94363695-14310273-image-a-4_1737491589433.jpg)
Having settled into club captaincy this season, he set his stall out for the international role, saying: ‘From a team point of view, we need to work harder. We need to run harder. We need to be more together and, I guess I'm the captain, but it's not just me. Who is going to be the catalyst of change? It's all the senior guys. We need to, as a collective, work harder for the team, to get the right results.
![[England head coach Steve Borthwick will hope that Itoje leads by sterling example at this year's Six Nations]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/21/20/94363671-14310273-image-a-3_1737491583578.jpg)
‘We’ve fallen short over the last year, in the final stages of games. Whilst I think we are on a positive trajectory; it requires more to get the outcomes you want and the results you want. I don’t think it is good enough to say, “Do what you did yesterday and expect a different result today”.
