"Right Guy for the Job" - England captain Maro Itoje defends Steve Borthwick despite Italy defeat

The question marks began to immediately surface, regarding the future of Steve Borthwick as the head coach of the England team. However, the RFU issued a statement earlier today, in which CEO Bill Sweeney voiced the Governing Body's full backing to Borthwick to turn the team around.

Itoje echoed the thoughts of the 'higher-ups', and drew attention to some historic accomplishments the England team have achieved with Borthwick in charge. Itoje jumped to defend his head coach, as the skipper expressed how it is ultimately down to the playing group to deliver. Speaking at the Stadio Olimpico following the defeat in Rome, Itoje said;

"Steve is definitely the right guy for the job. He's a fantastic coach, led us to 12 wins, big performances against the All Blacks, big wins. Obviously, it's not where we want to be at the moment, there's no hiding away from that. I'm definitely not hiding away from that.

"We have to take responsibility of where we are. But, Steve is definitely the right guy, and the rest of the coaches are, they’ve been fantastic. It's on us as players to be better.”

The Saracens lock expressed how he felt like he let down the coaching group last night, as Borthwick can't take to the pitch and execute the game-plan out on the grass.

"Steve is a fantastic coach. He and his team, they've done incredibly well over the last 12 months. As of recent, I think we as players have to own it. We're the ones on the pitch. We're the ones doing what we're doing on the pitch.

"So I think it's our responsibility to make sure that we apply Steve's vision, we apply Steve's game plan, because he's been very clear. He's been very thorough, as he always is. You guys know him pretty well. Very thorough. It’s on us. We need to be better.”

"We have to be honest. We need to be better." Itoje then added. "We're the ones on the field. He [Steve Borthwick] can't play the game for us. Myself as captain and the rest of the senior guys, we take responsibility. The answers are within that group. The answers are within the players, within the coaches. As a group of senior players, we need to be better.”

The captain acknowledged how after establishing such a solid run of 12 consecutive victories, the latest three defeats in a row fall significantly below the standards which England fans have become accustom to. Itoje shared how he gets the supporters view, in the hopes of a strong finish to the Championship.

“Well, we lost three games. That's below our standards. It’s definitely below our supporters’ standards. Obviously, it's not ideal, but I think over the last 12 months, you would have seen the growth of our team. Where we are now is not where we need to be.

"No one should be happy if we’re losing three games. We certainly aren’t. Again as a senior player, as captain, we have to look at our performance and see what more we need to do as players to deliver.”

A stand-out momentum turning moment in the defeat to Italy, saw England drop down to 13 men with Sam Underhill and Itoje alongside one another in the sin bin. After Underhill was given his 10-minute marching orders for a high tackle on Danilo Fischetti, Itoje was penalised for illegally disrupting an Italian maul, as he reached for the ball that was already in their scrum halves' grasp.

“It didn't work out the way I intended." Itoje said about the incident. "I was trying to scoop the ball back in my direction, and it didn't work out the way I wanted it to. It's obviously hindsight. It was probably better left. I just have to wear that one.

"Everyone is trying hard, sometimes you try too hard and you hurt the team, that’s what happened."

Looking ahead to the incoming challenge of 'Super Saturday', and England wrap up their 2026 Six Nations away to France. This current training week sees the side arrive in Verona, before the team heads up North from Italy for a hotly anticipated Parisian show-down. Speaking on how the England team will stick together despite the negative results, Itoje shared how strong communication is crucial.

"You dig your way out of them [negative slumps] by training hard and sticking together. Splintering off, going off to corners etc, doesn’t help. You dig your way out by doubling down and believing in the team, that’s what we need to do.

"Despite the losses, we’re still a good team which is part of the reason we’re all so frustrated. We are a good team and we’re not performing, so we just need to make sure we perform. If we perform, get our ducks in a row, improve our discipline over the course of 80 minutes, we will win games - as we have shown. I need to look at myself first foremost and see what I’m doing as captain and as a player, but this team has definitely got wins in it."

England take on France to close out the Six Nations, and a win for Les Bleus could well hand Fabien Galthie's side the title - dependent on the outcome of Ireland vs Scotland earlier that day. Itoje is not backing down, as he looks to end the campaign on a high against an expectedly rampant French side.

"We’re a good team. It’s a big challenge going to France but it’s a challenge we’ll probably need."

"We want to win every game. France are a good team so a win against them would definitely help us. So it goes without saying... we’re going to go after it."