Maro Itoje to lead Saracens into new era
NEWS: England stalwart Maro Itoje will take on more responsibilities after he was unveiled as Saracens’ new club captain.
The lock, who is one of the biggest names in the game, will take the reins ahead of the 2024/25 season and will be at the forefront as he leads the club into a new era.
The 29-year-old is closing in on the double century of appearances, with 181 to his name since bursting on to the scene in 2013.
He made his Saracens debut aged just 19 over a decade ago in 2013, and captained a young side to LV= Cup success two years later in 2015.
Itoje’s unparalleled rise means he is a five-time Premiership Champion, three-time European Champion, 2016 European Player of the Year and also a three-time World Player of the Year nominee.
His meteoric achievements both domestically and internationally has also seen him gain 84 caps for England including featuring in two World Cups, as well as six caps for the British and Irish Lions across the 2017 tour to New Zealand and 2021 to South Africa where he was named the Lions Player of the Series.
The new #YourSaracens💫 Club Captain is @maroitoje!
— Saracens Rugby Club (@Saracens) August 26, 2024
Itoje spoke of his huge pride at the appointment.
“I am extremely humbled and honoured to be asked to captain this special club. I have been here since I was 14 and it has been an amazing journey.
“I love this club and I feel that we are in a very exciting place with the talent and the people here, the energy we have and the direction we are going.
“The great thing about team sports is I won’t be doing it alone; we have lots of leaders in this group and together we can create something really special.”
Director of Rugby Mark McCall is thrilled to have Itoje as captain.
“You don’t come across many people like Maro. From his early days in our academy, at 14 years old, we all knew we were witnessing the development of someone special.
“He is the epitome of a Saracens player: fiercely dedicated to his craft, kind and compassionate to his teammates, and diligent in pursuing his education and charity work away from the field. He has always led by example.
“Maro has Saracens in his DNA, and we are delighted he will captain the team and lead this club into its next chapter.”
