Maro Itoje

Maro Itoje

Itoje in 2015
Birth name	Oghenemaro Miles Itoje
Date of birth	(1994-10-28) 28 October 1994
Place of birth	Camden, London
Height	1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Weight	116 kg (256 lb; 18 st 4 lb)
School	Salcombe Preparatory School St George's School, Harpenden Harrow School
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock, Flanker Current team Saracens Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 2012– Saracens 74 (20) Correct as of 21 January 2017 International career Years Team Apps (Points) 2014 2015 2016– 2017 England U18s England U20s England Saxons England British and Irish Lions 5 10 15 6 (25) (20) (5) (5) Correct as of 1 July 2017

Maro Itoje (born 28 October 1994) is an English rugby union player who represents Saracens in the Aviva Premiership and the England national rugby union team. He has been nicknamed "The Pearl"

Early life

Maro Itoje was born in Camden, London on 28 October 1994 to Nigerian parents. He attended Salcombe Preparatory School in Southgate, North London at a primary level, before moving to St George's School, Harpenden, a state boarding school in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, and later Harrow School, a Public school (United Kingdom) in the outer reaches of Greater London. He is reading for a Politics degree at the School of Oriental and African Studies in Bloomsbury, London. As a schoolboy, Itoje played several sports including basketball, football, rugby and athletics, representing England at U17 level in shot put.

Club career

His senior debut for Saracens came in the 2013–14 season, aged 19, when he played against Cardiff Blues in the Anglo-Welsh Cup. He made his Aviva Premiership debut against Leicester Tigers later in the same season. Prior to this he had played for Harpenden RFC at junior level (2005–11), then in the first team at Old Albanian RFC, usually as a lock (second row forward). In 2016 he led Saracens to victory in the European Champions' Cup final against Racing Metro '92 with a final score of 21–9, picking up the Man of the Match award.

In the same season Itoje was named European player of the Year.

International career

Itoje represented England at U18 and captained the England U20 team in the 2013–14 season. He scored a try in every 2014 Under-20 Six Nations game and was England’s Man of the Tournament.

Also in 2014 Itoje with England won the 2014 IRB Junior World Championship captaining the side throughout the tournament.

Itoje was called up to the England Saxons squad on 21 January 2015 and made his debut against Ireland Wolfhounds on 30 January 2015.

Itoje was selected for the England 2015 Rugby World Cup training squad and received his first call-up to the senior England squad from new coach Eddie Jones on 13 January 2016 for the 2016 Six Nations Championship. He went on to make his first-team debut against Italy and was named Man of the Match for his performance in the win against Wales on 12 March 2016. England later went on to win the Grand Slam. Itoje also played a starring role in the summer series win against Australia, starting all three Tests.

Itoje was selected for the British and Irish Lions for their tour of New Zealand, being the youngest play named in the 41-man squad, aged 22. He was one of the standout players on the tour, scoring one try against the Maori All Blacks and appearing in all three tests against the All Blacks. The Lions went on to draw the three game series in the final test.