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International

Warburton names his Lions captain and identifies the six players he feels are bankers to start first Test versus the Springboks

By Liam Heagney
(Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

Two-tour Lions skipper Sam Warburton has given his backing for England’s Maro Itoje to skipper the 2021 tour to South Africa rather than his fellow Welshman Alun Wyn Jones, who recently led Wales to Guinness Six Nations title glory.

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The 26-year-old Itoje, who was part of the Eddie Jones England squad that finished fifth in the Six Nations, is currently playing tier-two rugby for Saracens in the Championship and has not previously skippered at Test level.  

However, despite this inexperience and a difficult 2021 so far, Warburton believes that Itoje will be named as Lions skipper when Warren Gatland names his 36-strong tour on May 6 rather than Jones, the 35-year-old veteran who skippered Wales under the New Zealander.

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Wales and Northampton out-half Dan Biggar guests on RugbyPass All Access

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Wales and Northampton out-half Dan Biggar guests on RugbyPass All Access

“I have gone back and forth but I’m going to go with who I thought back at the very beginning and that is Maro Itoje,” said Warburton, who unveiled on Wednesday the jersey the Lions will be wearing on tour. “Everybody looked at the first (Six Nations) game he played where he gave away about four or penalties and you can’t do that. 

“But that was just a little bit of rustiness. Warren will want him to be primed and ready to go because he will be one of the players who will be a guaranteed Test starter and I was extremely, extremely impressed with him in 2017 as well when Warren would have seen all.

“The other captaincy candidates are a bit older and there are questions whether it would be a little too much pressure for them to go through a tour like this at the end of the season… I have gone back and forth with Maro and Alun Wyn Jones. Alun Wyn will be up there. I’m sure Alun Wyn will captain games on tour but I would probably go Maro Itoje.

“The reason I say Maro as captain is because he is a dead cert and it’s between Alun Wyn and James Ryan to battle it out for that No5 shirt. Warren knows the pressure on the captain if they are not a guaranteed starter and there are six bankers to start a Test – Tadhg Furlong, Maro Itoje, Taulupe Faletau, Tom Curry, Anthony Watson and Stuart Hogg.

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“I don’t think he will pick a back as captain, so the other player who has the leadership experience he will want is Maro. If Alun Wyn is captain, though, you know you will be in safe hands.”

 

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Comments on RugbyPass

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Jmann 30 minutes ago
The 'massive challenge' seperating All Blacks and Sprigboks transitions

SA must go through the same as the peerless 2008-2017 NZ team did. And although they have never reached the same heights as Rugby’s GOAT team. They will face the same fate.

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Ardy 6 hours ago
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The VAR was established based on a false premise that the decisions would be correct. All that has happened is another referee with their own biases comes to a different opinion. We need to accept that the referee with assistants are the final arbiters of the game and only use a video review in the case of tries. Installing this level of review shows up the complexity and difficulty of getting decisions accurate at all times. It is a waste of time and money in a game with more stoppages than most, it is very frustrating to those watching the game and that is what it was supposed to fix.

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JD Kiwi 7 hours ago
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Hi Nick, maybe the RFU coaches think that Asher Opoku-Fordjour isn't bulky enough for tighthead? I remember as a Sale fan thinking how small he looked coming on against Quins, expecting him to get mullered, only to be amazed at how well he held his own.

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Tom 10 hours ago
A 2025 overseas British & Irish Lions XV

My first thought was “damn that's a good Lions backrow, Lawes, Willis, Simmonds” my second thought was “why the fk aren't any of these guys playing for England?!”

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Bull Shark 11 hours ago
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Ah. Hogg. The poster boy of the Lions. Who is he related to at RP?

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Tom 12 hours ago
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He doesn't have the instincts for it having played so much 15s, hence the best 15s player on the planet can't make the starting 7. He's capable of game breaking moments off the bench but his instinct is to play flat and put the other players on crash balls. He's still trying to play 7s like a 15s number 9. Can't actually believe Great Britain aka The Lions couldn't even qualify, what a joke. I wanted to see Adam Radwan play! :(

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RW 13 hours ago
There's only one answer to the Springboks' fly-half conundrum

Improve the the chat, block Turlough

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DP 13 hours ago
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Now lets see what happens to the two French “alleged” rapists in Argentina…

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Rob 14 hours ago
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Good

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Bull Shark 15 hours ago
There's only one answer to the Springboks' fly-half conundrum

It’s all going to come down to kicking form. I suspect if Libbok shines up on his kicking in training he’d start with DW at 15 and SFM covering 23. Getting yanked if it’s a tight game. But it won’t be long until SFM is the incumbent 10.

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DG 17 hours ago
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I’m surprised that Craig Wright isn’t getting a mention. His performances, throughout the World Champs were consistently great and his stats must be up there. He very active in the open and appeared to do a great job in the scrum, but I’m no expert!

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RugbyAnalysis 17 hours ago
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Thanks Nella, a very interesting approach to the problems of front rows and the scrum in particular. I work as a data analyst for a club that is strongly based on a vertical style of play, and I have rediscovered the technical vitality of front row play and the radical importance of set pieces. The game is populated by hundreds of details that we do not perceive and that make the potential difference between winning and losing. In Argentina we call 'Mañas' these differential capacities that inhabit this type of player (´Tricks´ in English...?).

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Turlough 17 hours ago
There's only one answer to the Springboks' fly-half conundrum

I think SAs problem is one of arrogance. Their boasting and goading before the Irish series was a perfect example of it. Ebens blood covered face is a good reminder of where lack of humility gets you. Hopefully they can proceed with more honour and less arrogance from now on. Pollard kicked 100% versus Ireland and still lost. Change it now.

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MO 17 hours ago
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SA deserved the win, ABs were error prone and I believe a little complacent. I am assuming a Fiji vs France final, unless the Boks can destoy Dupont’s dream again.

23 Go to comments
W
WR 17 hours ago
There's only one answer to the Springboks' fly-half conundrum

Tough one but I disagree. Putting Libbok in most matches will cost us. Especially against better teams. He just doesn't have what it takes. Aside from his kicking woes, he is a very good player. Pollard are the best option for tough games, but SFM is the best choice for me. He can do what both other players can do. He can play more positions than them. He is the best SA have now and will be for a very long time to come. We have an absolute super star like Kolbe, KLA and Moody in SFM. Time to get him in that 10 jersey and let him show case his absolute class. To let him grow and learn all he can from Tony Brown as we won't have TB for always. Most likely only until 2027. NZ will want him back. Time to cash in and go for broke. ML as an impact player might be a better option unless it's against a top 5 team, then best to have HP on the bench in case. That's not experience that can be chucked away. That would be stupid. We have WLR and DW at 15, HP and SFM at flyhalf. If anything, why not see how ML performs as a a scrum half? I know it's not his usual position, but he can be converted. You can't exchange what (in my personal opinion) is one of the best centre pairings currently in the world for ML or HP. That would be a disaster. No, we need HP at least on the bench playing top 5 in the WR.

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W
WR 18 hours ago
South Africa stun New Zealand as men’s Olympic sevens semi-finals set

Well, on X they claim they beat SA by 2-1 and won the series against SA. Nevermind that it's 2 different competitions with completely different players, and a completely different country. AGAIN, they think that talking about it and claiming it, that they are the winners. That they DESERVE IT. Yet, as per usual, they CHOKED AGAIN in the quarterfinals. The Boks had 2 good games. That's it. The French is a different story altogether. They know how to reach a final. 2 games to go for either Gold or Bronze. Good news that, but coming in 4th don't get medals, so the Boks have to get in the final to be assured of a medal. It won't be easy. Only teams that CAN play is still in the competition, not teams that thinks talking themselves into a medal will get them a medal. Fiji is now the favorites would be my guess, but anyone can take it from here. Good luck Boks!! As usual you have my full support💯

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Mzilikazi 18 hours ago
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Thanks , Brett. It will be a very powerful Lions team, but the WB’s will be stronger too, would be my feeling. I don’t see it being all one way traffic.

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StephenE 18 hours ago
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Not sure what the logic is… Rugby Sevens is a different discipline to 15 man Rugby so can’t be compared or used as a decider. Series was a draw, unfortunately no deciding match. South Africa are WC Champions and No. 1 in the world rankings, surely that is proof enough that there is no doubt who the better team is.

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Bull Shark 18 hours ago
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I see shifting from 7s to 15s as a pretty logical and good developmental step for good rugby players. But going 15s to 7s makes little sense for most. Which is why I agree AdP is a freak. Which is why France will win the gold and smash everyone as the rightful no.1 favourites!

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Bull Shark 18 hours ago
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Let the disparagement and abuse BEGIN! Pity Ireland can’t lose without (some fools) feeling sorry for themselves. Attitude determines your altitude.

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