"Live up to the Badge" - Maro Itoje wants his Lions to carry the weight of the jersey for Argentina clash

"The jersey has weight to it, significance to it, meaning to it." Itoje told the media, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. "As players it is our responsibility to push it forward, to live up to the badge."

Itoje is just one of nine players in the selected squad to face Argentina, to have previously experienced the honor of wearing the heralded red shirt. The lock made his Lions debut upon the 2017 tour to New Zealand, and at 22-years-old Itoje was the youngest player in the squad. Much like how Henry Pollock is today, Itoje had to chaperone 'Bil' the lion teddy, due to the accolade of being the youngest on tour.

Itoje's first appearance for the Lions came upon the second match of the 2017 tour, in what was a 22-16 defeat to the Blues in Auckland's Eden Park. Despite the result not going the Lions way, it was an unforgettable occasion for the second row, who called his first appearance in the famous red shirt 'a dream fulfilled'.

"I remember the feeling more than who we were playing. It was the second game on tour in 2017, but it just felt amazing, like a dream fulfilled. I finally got my little number, I finally was part of this exclusive and elite club, and it was just a tremendous feeling. It was also a tremendous opportunity and responsibility."

Now leading the side as British & Irish Lion #826, Itoje wants to stamp his own style upon the upcoming tour. Itoje is excited at the prospect of bringing together the four Home Nations, with off-field team bonding as important as any on-field exercises that his team will work through. Itoje expressed how he wants to bring 'four philosophies' into one, as England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales bind together for their quad-annual expedition overseas.

“I think the big thing that we've all been trying to do is to make this group as cohesive as possible on and off the field." Itoje explained. "We’ve players more for four countries coming together, all have different philosophies, all play the game differently, or see the game differently, or have unique talents and attributes.

“What we want to do is make the team as tight as possible. We want to make it as cohesive, as solid as possible. If we're like that on and off the field, because off the field is arguably just as important as on it, it will flow into our rugby who will flow into the enjoyment that we want to have during this whole campaign."

The Lions are currently fine-tuning their preparations, with kick-off now only one day away at the Aviva Stadium. Farrell's men have found a temporary home in Dublin, having enjoyed a five-day training camp at the immaculate Campus at Quinta do Lago, Portugal. Itoje pulled back the curtain upon how the team had enjoyed some downtime upon the Iberian peninsula, with two coaches leading the tour festivities to boast morale after an arduous training session.

"One thing I would say is that one thing that's really endearing and lovely to see is how much everyone wants to be here. You're not having to pull people out of their rooms. People are wanting to sit down, and have conversations which is a big part of what we want to do."

“So we've had some downtime. Obviously, we've had some downtime, some social time. We've had a good time in Portugal, where the boys had fun and got to know each other. We've also had some entertaining time for some of the coaches. John Fogarty has been a bit of a class clown for us. Aled Waters has led the charge in that front as well, both very big characters."