Maro Itoje: British and Irish players will want to be a Lion as long as rugby is being played

Despite the world rugby calendar being under strain, and with a breakaway Rugby 360 tournament set to be launched placing increasing pressure on international teams, the current captain made his case for the continuation of a touring tradition now 137 years old.

CAREER HIGHLIGHT: British & Irish Lions captain Maro Itoje poses for a portrait in front of Sydney Harbour Bridge. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile.

Maro Itoje has made a passionate defence of the British & Irish Lions and the continuing rotation of tours to Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

The Lions captain was speaking on Tuesday as the tourists transitioned from celebrating their unassailable 2-0 series lead against the Wallabies, achieved last Saturday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, into the 2025 squad’s bid for a first series sweep since 1974 against the Springboks.

Last Saturday delivered a classic Lions Test match as Itoje led his side to a dramatic 29-26 victory over Australia in front of 90,307 supporters at the MCG, the win and the series secured by a late Hugo Keenan try.

It was the first time a Lions side has taken a 2-0 series lead since the defeat of the world champion South Africans in 1997, though the final Test was lost.

Itoje and his players have been upfront in expressing their determination to make it 3-0 over the Wallabies with this Saturday at Sydney’s Accor Stadium their chance to earn a place in Lions lore.

Yet with the world rugby calendar under strain, and with a breakaway Rugby 360 tournament set to be launched placing increasing pressure on international teams, the current captain made his case for the continuation of a touring tradition now 137 years old.

“It’s been without a shadow of a doubt one of the highlights of my career,” Itoje said. “When I am old and grey these occasions and these tours are going to be one of the experiences I look back (on) with extreme fondness.

“And it’s the aspiration of every British and Irish rugby player. I would be surprised if you can find a British and Irish rugby player who says they don’t want to be a Lion or they don’t want to play for the Lions.

“It’s something that each player holds dear to their heart and the opportunity… I’m sure you could have seen from the reactions of when people got called up of what it means to the players. This is something the players want and the players will continue to want for decades and for as long as rugby is being played.

“It’s something that I think world rugby wants, something I know each of the southern-hemisphere teams that the Lions tour – Australia, New Zealand and South Africa – it provides a huge sense of excitement for all of those three nations. And it adds an extra bit of spice and intrigue to the Six Nations when it’s Lions year.

"So I am struggling to see the negatives. It is a great occasion, it is a great event and long may it continue.” 

Itoje, a three-time tourist playing Tests against all three of the traditional South Hemisphere opponents, was asked if the Lions should consider touring to different nations outside the usual rotation, with France having been mentioned as a possible destination.

“I don’t know,” the captain said. “I thought about this at the beginning of the tour. My answer is, with the three nations it tours, there’s a strong sense of history and tradition. Perhaps the Lions is the last of the traditional organisations in the modern era.

“Part of me is keen for it to continue to rotate among the three countries it does. But, that being said, you have to stay relatively open-minded. As it stands, the three nations it tours is pretty good. Also it wouldn’t feel the same if we took a short-haul flight. It needs a long-haul flight!

For Itoje, the friendships forged within this four-nation squad while on tour are what he will remember most, though the 30-year-old Saracens and England captain gave the actual rugby produced by the Lions careful consideration.

“The rugby or the people? It’s hard to differentiate it. If I had the best time of my life, but we lost every game…it’s probably likely we wouldn’t have the best time of our lives. Ultimately, it is going to be the people but the rugby makes it sweeter. I’m kind of halfway house a bit. Ultimately, it’s going to be the people.

Lion's Hugo Keenan, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Beirne and Maro Itoje during the national anthem. Pic: ©INPHO/Billy Stickland.

“There is a verse that I can’t quite remember what book it is from in the Bible (Mark 8:36), but it says, ‘What does it gain for a man to gain the whole world but lose his soul?’. If we won every game and we absolutely hated one another, in some ways that is what you are obviously going for because it is a Test series win, but I think life is more than that.”

To underline his point Itoje added: “I have built relationships with people I really did not know well. Someone like ‘Showbiz’, Jamie Osborne, his nickname is Showbiz. I never thought I would have a relationship with him.

“I wouldn’t mind the nickname ‘Showbiz’ if you are going to start it but I am happy with ‘Pearl’ to be honest. I know now whenever I play against him in the future I can call him ‘Showbiz’ and he will have that little smirk on his face.

“Relationships like that. Getting to know people from different nations like Jac. I have a lot of admiration for Jac Morgan, who is a very, very talented player. I’ve respected him from afar while he has been doing his thing for Wales and being on his side and being alongside him while he makes such positive contributions for the team has been amazing.

“I can go through the team. Finlay Bealham is another one that I never thought we would have a good relationship, but he’s absolutely hilarious, funny, he’s a very endearing person. I can go through so many others.” What has united them all through their time together in Australia is an ambition to close out the series as 3-0 victors.

“We want to be part of something very special. Winning a Lions Test series is obviously extremely special but what would be an absolute dream would be to go out there and perform to the level that we think we can perform and win the third game.

“While the first two games have been great because we got two wins, there's a still a feeling that we haven't put it together in a way we know that we can. That's the exciting for us - we want to chase down the performance we have been searching for.”