Fans are only just realising that England stars Maro Itoje and Ollie Thorley are related

Wednesday, 02 November 2022 at 10:30

byRugby Rucker

There are certain families for whom playing rugby at an exceptionally high level seems to just come naturally.

Successful rugby brothers such as the Vunipola’s (Billy and Mako), the Underwood’s (Rory & Tony), the Hasting’s (Gavin and Scott), the Umaga’s (Mike & Tana) and the Gray’s (Jonny & Richie) amongst others have all left their indelible mark on the beautiful game.

However, there are loads of other relations playing the game at an elite level, ranging from brothers to cousins to fathers to the slightly more tenuous link.

Here are such players who you may be surprised are related (even if just a little bit).

#1. Maro Itoje & Ollie Thorley

Gloucester speedster Thorley is Itoje’s cousin, after his grandfather re-married a Nigerian woman who is the Saracens lock’s aunt.

Maro Itoje facts:

As a schoolboy, Itoje played several sports including basketball, football, rugby and athletics, representing England at U17 level in shot put
Maro got a rugby scholarship to London Harrow school when he was 11. He then studied for a Politics degree at the School of Oriental and African Studies in Bloomsbury, London at the same time as starting his rugby career
He is also the cousin of Bath's loosehead-prop Beno Obano
The lock was born Oghenemaro Miles Itoje in Camden, London on 28 October 1994 to Nigerian parents

#2. Jerry Collins & Sinoti Sinoti

Sinoti Sinoti - a cousin of late All Blacks great Jerry Collins - scored the opening try in Newcastle's 28-20 home win on Sunday, inspiring this list. We previously didn't know the two were related. Collins was also a cousin to the Umaga brothers, Mike and Tana, but that is more well known.

Jerry Collins facts:

Collins was born in Samoa but grew up in his beloved hometown of Porirua
He played as a flanker and number eight, and was considered to be one of the hardest tacklers in rugby history
Collins and his partner, Alana Madill, were killed in a car accident in southern France in June 2015

#3. Quade Cooper & Sean Maitland

Quade Cooper and Sean Maitland are cousins and were both born in the north of New Zealand. While Cooper moved to Brisbane in his teens and became a star of the Wallabies, Maitland headed to Christchurch to join the Canterbury Crusaders before heeding his Glaswegian grandfather’s words to remember his roots and headed for Scotland.

4. Doug Howlett & Nili Latu

All Black Howlett and Tonga legend Latu are also cousins, sharing family on the Pacific Island.

#5. Ben & Tom Curry and John & Sam Olver

The Curry twins are the nephew of former England hooker John Olver and cousins of former Northampton Saints fly-half Sam Olver, who is now at Ealing Trailfinders.

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Tom Curry facts:

It is true that the brothers had a trial at Manchester City, who the twins support, but that was scuppered by Tom scoring a spectacular own goal. Probably for the best in the end
Making his England debut five days before his 19th birthday against Argentina in 2017, Curry became England’s youngest forward since 1912
The only way you can tell Ben and Tom apart is by their hair. Tom has his styled to the right while Ben has his swept to the left
The duo played for Sale FC in National 2 League North before making their debut for Sale Sharks in the Gallagher Premiership

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