Maro Itoje?

Apparently he was listed by Lancaster as one of the 63 players he considers to be Englands future and a possible for the 2015 world cup squad in his interview presentation for the England job.


Who?

you got me - never heard of him

Isn't lancaster doing a Madonna?

Itoje

A member of Saracens Academy, Maro Itoje has represented England U17 and captained both Harpenden RFC and St George’s VA School in his age group and played for Hertfordshire U14, U15 and U16

Cheers Munkian

Yeah I could google him to, I think the point was more like a "wtf"

But this shows the lack of faith Lancaster has in Englands current options at 7. I asusme he is a traditional Warburton/Mccaw type pest?
Must be quite annoying for the three guys that Rowntree mentioned he was nurturing for that role to know that they have already been deemed out the picture for a 17 year old.

I'm sure they'll find an adequate 28 year old already baked Saffer by the time the lad is 22

Ruby

No, that's one of the 3 positions we've reserved for EQ players

I thought EQ stood for Evidently Qualified

Big lad for a 17 year old - 6,5 and over 17 st.

If Maro Itoje is as good as Lancaster says he needs to be drafted into the Sarries side with all the backrow injuries racking up.

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:Yeah I could google him to, I think the point was more like a "wtf"

But this shows the lack of faith Lancaster has in Englands current options at 7. I asusme he is a traditional Warburton/Mccaw type pest?
Must be quite annoying for the three guys that Rowntree mentioned he was nurturing for that role to know that they have already been deemed out the picture for a 17 year old.

Peter...

But of the three...Saul, Kvesic and Wallace...do any fill you with promise. Kvesic would appear to be the one...yet is rarely playing 7 for worcester.

I dont think there is many options...we are producing more and more players who are hybrids...like Wood, Robshaw etc but no specialists.

EDIT: However we improved massively this season in the breakdown etc without a real deal 7..so do we actually need one...or just players like Wood and Robshaw who are very good at all areas...

Not convinced we need a 7 personally. Agreed, I thought we did well at the breakdowns.

Mind you, I think Dan Cole is our best 7 at the moment

Geordiefalcon

Saull is allegedly out of action for 5 months now.

Ah sorry to hear about Saul...dont like to hear of injuries ...

Yes Dan Cole has been excellent..step forward Mr Rowntree for his coaching getting the best out of players...(a novelty for England coaches in recent years)

SO if all your pack is playing like that and are strong in these areas of the game...do you need an out and out 7?

Kvesic would appear to be the one...yet is rarely playing 7 for worcester

He's playing, just generally from the bench. He's had game time at 6,7 and 8. Nothing wrong with making the young man develop a full skill set (Hill could also play 6,7,8) and work for his place in the team.

I would imagine the highlighting of a 17 year old player by Lancaster in his interview was to show his depth of knowledge of the English game. He's worked in the system and that is his key strength in the interview process, he knows the players in the squad and knows of the players coming through. They no doubt asked him what his long term plans were for addressing areas of weakness in the England squad and this guy was given as an example.

Be interesting to see if he is drafted into the decimated Sarries backrow.

Surely it's all about balance of the backrow? As long as the 6,7 and 8 work effectively as an unit it doesn't really matter.

Traditional opensides can be very handy but it's nice to have a versatile player who can play more than one backrow position.

Surely it's all about balance of the backrow? As long as the 6,7 and 8 work effectively as an unit it doesn't really matter.

Hitting the nail on the head Beshocked.

All about balance, look at the Ireland backrow of Ferris, SOB and Heaslip. Three great players but they just don't work as the balance isn't there. Croft, Robshaw, Morgan arguably not as good players individually but they work because their skills complement each other. Incidentally neither backrow have a 'natural' 7. Scotland finished the 6N playing with two 7s in their backrow and that didn't work either.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Kvesic would appear to be the one...yet is rarely playing 7 for worcester

He's playing, just generally from the bench. He's had game time at 6,7 and 8. Nothing wrong with making the young man develop a full skill set (Hill could also play 6,7,8) and work for his place in the team.

I would imagine the highlighting of a 17 year old player by Lancaster in his interview was to show his depth of knowledge of the English game. He's worked in the system and that is his key strength in the interview process, he knows the players in the squad and knows of the players coming through. They no doubt asked him what his long term plans were for addressing areas of weakness in the England squad and this guy was given as an example.

Be interesting to see if he is drafted into the decimated Sarries backrow.

I would say that the Saracens backrow would look like this:
6.Melck
7.Fraser
8.Joubert

Wray on the bench.

Hopefully Saracens won't have to rely on Maro Itoje but if another player gets injured...

I actually have been very impressed by Will Fraser. If he keeps up his form he might be one to watch as a 7.

Sam,

That was my thinking too. It was more a case of pick a bunch of names showing a full range of contasting players from throughout the system to show the depth of whats there and how the whole thing works together.
I knowunderstand) and strengthen the elite player concept treating the squads as part of a whole, and taking more resposnility away from clubs for players who have been selected to be part of that system.

I agree that it's about balance. The benefit of having particular roles is that if someone is injured than it can be easier to bring in the new guy in that role. If you have non-tradiation role players then can be harder to replace like-for-like. This is of course why you need a squad of players and options for back row players.

http://www.rfu.com/SquadsAndPlayers/EnglandUnder18/MaroItoje.aspx

Big, physical blindside. It does seen a bit of a leap due to the players currently available, but if you look at as if when Croft/ Robshaw/ Wood/ Haskell are 32/ 33, this lad will still only be in his early twenties. That is some serious long term planning.

I've heard this about Lancaster picking him out quoted eslewhere, where was the orginal source?

He's no Joe Robinson though Cumbrian...

He said: “Matt Davies at Saracens has improved my game massively and it has also been great working with Richard Hill. I have learned a lot from his knowledge and experience.”

Mind could Itoje have a better mentor?

Cumbrian wrote:

I've heard this about Lancaster picking him out quoted eslewhere, where was the orginal source?

I got this from espn. Apparently it was aprt of his interview vision template or whatever. I guess this is the name that just stands out in the list as a left field one, thats why its getting reproted. Probably intentional, to add to the idea that hes looking beyond the obvious candidates and beyond 2015

As part of his interview he had to list something like 100 players who are in or around the whole RFU system who could be potentials for taking England to the WC in 2015 and beyond.

An interesting theory exercise but I wouldn't read too much in to it. Wallace will be the 7 of the future for us (if we ever use one).

Yapp,

His name came up in a press breifing where he gave a presentation on 63 players he calles the future ( including Wood, which is intersting because Lancasters captain has Woods job and this kid could put them both on the dole)

Wasnt Wood pretty much nailed on as starting 7.and Captain over Robshaw?

Wonder how that will go in SA? Cant take Robshaw out now...

No, but you could shift him across to blindside, or put Wood there. All depends on how the three get on. I expect the whole "Robshawis captain for the first 2 tests, then we'll see" was waiting to see how Wood returned.

I'd be interested to see how we go with Robshaw at 6 and Wood 7, Croft in the centres (bench).

Picking out a 17yr old like Lancasters done is only slightly more effective then drawing a name from a hat, so much could change over the next few seasons. First of all he needs to usurp the Saull/Burger combo at Saracens, which could be tricky for the next few seasons.

I thought Itoje was a lock/blindside not an openside.

I have a feeling that we may not see Wood on the SA tour anyway leaving Robshaw to continue as captain (agree that I think Wood was SL's first choice as captain before the 6N). No official word yet but Wood went off injured against Wasps early in the second half and they immediately got his foot wrapped in ice. It could have been precautionary but before he returned Wood stated in an interview that if the rest period hadn't worked then it was an operation and a period out of the game as the only option to resolve the issue once and for all.

No official word from Saints yet but they are crap when it comes to injury updates anyway.

Ozzy3213 wrote:I thought Itoje was a lock/blindside not an openside.

I'd never heard of him but at 17 he already sounds very big for a 7 and he still has a couple of years growing yet.

Pretty sure he played in the engine room for england U18's and can play 6 as well.

Where's beshocked when you need him, he's a Saracens fans so should be able to tell us for sure.

Is he another Lawes type build and player?

And it would be harsh to remove Croft after his performances in the 6n aswell...

I think we start with the 6n team (Flood v Farrell could be a big decision though) and then remove / add as of form and performance in the games.

Ie If Garvey offers more during the midweek games than say Botha has etc?

Possibly Geordie.

I've not seen him play to be honest, just going from snippets I've read on age grade rugby.

GeordieFalcon wrote:He's no Joe Robinson though Cumbrian...

Some proper respect please... It's JOE ROBINSON

[quote="Cumbrian"]

GeordieFalcon wrote:He's no Joe Robinson though Cumbrian...

Some proper respect please... It's JOE ROBINSON followed by the sounds of thundering trumpets.

Ozzy3213 wrote:Pretty sure he played in the engine room for england U18's and can play 6 as well.

Where's beshocked when you need him, he's a Saracens fans so should be able to tell us for sure.

I am a Saracens fan but I am not that up to date when it comes to the U18s. Don't think he's an openside though. Not sure where people heard that. I agree with what you are saying Ozzy.

Where is this List of 63 players ?

would be interesting to have a look

http://www.espnscrum.com/england/rugby/story/162000.html

This is the story I read about it in.
Youre right, hes a blindside and it says it in there, no idea where I got that 7 thing from other than skim reading.

In that case its perhaps even odder, given theres already too many of them to pick from.

[quote="Cumbrian"]

Cumbrian wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:He's no Joe Robinson though Cumbrian...

Some proper respect please... It's JOE ROBINSON followed by the sounds of thundering trumpets.

I'm sure it said openside when i read that article...

I'm not trying to be condescending, but if it did say he was an open side it was wrong. Anyway, if we are currently moulding our open sides to be 6ft 5in 17 stone + monsters who are interchangeable with the second row… We are it getting badly wrong.

On a different note, with Lancaster being named coach full time, this thread may become more pertinent.

I may be doing him the biggest diservice...but im just getting visions of a young Courtney lawes...

Any way hes very young and i dont forsee him being a factor for England for many years yet...if he reaches that level.

Still some cracking back rowers around who are also pretty young...

Agree with that.

Regarding Courtney Lawes, Itoje is a couple of inches shorter and already far heavier than Lawes was at this age (Lawes was a round 16 stone and a half stone when he was in the U20's IIRC).

On a serious note I think I know the lad, he came down to Dragons with Sarries U18's late last year.

The MOTM was the 8 who moved to lock, big old boy, very very athletic but looked like he'd been on his own S+C programme for 5 years plus.

I have no idea of his name but remember the buzz around the stands of him, England int and Sarries had him training with them for a while at 16 I think.

Anyway 7 he was certainly not, he was big and very dynamic, ball carrier and a big hitter in defence, but didn't do a lot around the breakdown.

Again as I said I had no idea of his name, and maybe a totally different player to who you are all talking about, but if it was him then he definately not a 7, but very very dynamic 8/lock.

yappysnap wrote:I'm sure it said openside when i read that article...

Hmm I smell an edit! Well just goes to show what an obscure player he is.

Itoje wearing the number 4 jersey for England U18 against Georgia tomorrow.

I thought it may be of interest to bump this thread after a few years.

This kid impresses me and it shows that Bomber has a pretty good eye for spotting talent.

Now how much of a chance does he have of making the final squad?

Not much I don't think - not because of anything he's done wrong. Since losing Hartley and Tuilagi we're very short on caps, and I've heard Lancaster and Rowntree go on about the importance of experience in world cups. I'd be surprised if he got past Haskell or Morgan, if fit, and we've plenty of second rows who can cover 6 already.