He’s known as Super Mario and the man who is England rugby’s roaring lion.
At 6ft 6′ and 110kg, Maro Itoje brings a voracious work-rate and huge tackle count to the contest, leading by example at every opportunity.
Brodie Retallick and Eben Etzebeth are widely regarded as world leaders in their position, however, there is no better lock in the game at the moment than the Saracens man.
Itoje’s coach Eddie Jones has hailed his innate talents on multiple occasions. Most recently after a towering display in the 24-12 win over Ireland last weekend.
The individual statistics don’t come close to telling his startling contribution at Twickenham.
The 25-year-old made 16 tackles without missing any and won a key turnover, stripping the ball from David Kilcoyne late in the second half.
What those numbers don’t show is his boundless energy stamped all over that crucial victory that has ignited England’s Six Nations title quest.
Owen Farrell may be the current captain, but Itoje is rapidly establishing himself as the commanding force among the side’s forwards.
When looking at his game, it is customary to see his surname at the top of the various categories of the post-match stats sheet.
Lock may not be the most glamorous of positions, however it is an industrious role always appreciated by team-mates and coaches a like, laying the platform for the more dynamic players to flourish.
A gifted athlete, Itoje’s prowess as a line-out jumper always has England on the frontfoot.
It’s his explosiveness that makes him a nightmare when it comes to stealing or disrupting the opponents’ possession.
During England’s run to the 2019 World Cup final, the 37-times capped international was joint second in line-outs won (24).
His stamina is on a different level and if you look at his last eight matches for England, he has played every minute, refusing to wilt while others tire around him.
On the discipline front, he has been guilty of giving away cheap penalties. But when you push the boundaries like him, this can happen.
When it comes to defence, Itoje has a real physical presence and relishes getting into players’ faces.
He repeatedly catches attackers behind the gainline, makes dominant tackles and has an incredible ability of stripping the ball in contact.
During the World Cup, he ranked second on the tackles chart (71) and topped the turnovers list (11).
To zone in further on his contributions, he made an unholy 55 ruck arrivals in the semi-final win over New Zealand in October. You could strap this giant man on the back of a Ferrari and his engine wouldn’t let you down.
While some players’ confidence and general motivation suffers post-World Cup, Itoje’s dazzling form has continued in the Six Nations and he should have been named man of the match in the wins over Scotland and Ireland.
In the victory against Scotland, played in brutal conditions, he made 22 tackles, undertaking a key role for Ellis Genge’s try with a big shove.
In possession, he batters through tackles and makes valuable yards to put his team in command.
The confidence and belief of being involved with successful teams is rubbing off on him along with his exceptional ability.
Four Premierships, three Champions Cups, two Six Nations and an Under-20 World Cup title are just some of the accolades atop his mantelpiece.
And that’s not forgetting the many individual awards he has collected along the way.
On a leadership level, Itoje skippered the U20 side to World Cup glory in 2014 and has since led Saracens on a number of occasions.
Jones is rightly committed to Farrell as captain, but surely we will see Itoje as skipper over the coming years.
A defensive warrior, the Camden man is a born leader, would be able to charm the referee, engage with the media well and look after the younger players when they are integrated into the squad.
One outstanding bit of recent leadership was on the stroke of half-time against Ireland when he grabbed the short-fused Kyle Sinckler to calm him down.
Second row is a unique position where players get better with age and that is part of the process of him going from a class act with buckets of potential, to a great in the game.
Turning 26 in October, Itoje has plenty of time to continue that summit to being the key cog in the England wheel.
