Maro Itoje insists that outside the game he is, “a relatively normal 23-yearold”.
But the former Harrow schoolboy's first media engagement of the new season was to appear on the front cover of society magazine Tatler alongside Lady Amelia Windsor, grand-daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Kent.
Itoje normal? About as normal as seeing a snow leopard in a UK high street. He has the hallmarks of becoming one of the great locks, and has been moving steadily into the realms of sporting stardom since Lions fans started chanting his name during the Test series against New Zealand last summer, using the rhythm of a guitar riff from the Seven Nation Army anthem of American rock duo White Stripes.
“Oh, Maro Itoje…oh, Maro Itoje…” Itoje, who was modelling for what the magazine described as a “sports luxe-themed shoot”, was also described as widely tipped to be the next England captain. That will come as news to his Saracens and England team-mate Owen Farrell, who is the captain-in-waiting for club and country.
It will also be of interest to the cohort of England locks who will be hoping to oust Itoje from the starting shirt he has managed to retain – injuries apart – for the past three seasons.
Having finished his degree in politics at London University's School of Oriental and African Studies, Itoje speaks to the magazine candidly about his outlook on contemporary politics. He says that Barack Obama is one of his biggest influences, and tells how, coming from a Nigerian immigrant background, he has deep concerns about Britain becoming a less tolerant country.
He says: “Just because Britain was a tolerant country in the past, it doesn't mean it's going to be in the future. It doesn't work like that. It's something we have to pay attention to, and when you see things that aren't right – injustices and so on – you have to speak up about it, otherwise people will think it's okay. They get away with it, and the ball starts to roll away from you.”
Itoje insists sports stars have a duty to take a stand if they have views on important subjects. “I definitely support athletes who speak out. If there are issues you feel passionately about, use whatever platform you're on to speak about it. People shouldn't be silenced because they are an athlete or are in the entertainment world.”
Back with the rugby Press this week Itoje was asked how he relaxes in order to recharge during a gruelling season. “I spend time with friends, and with family. I socialise, I listen to audio books and podcasts.” Ask which podcasts and he lists TedTalks – an American online platform for cultural, academic and scientific speakers – as well as Oprah Winfrey's SuperSoul conversations, and also, “a lot of social science and political podcasts”.
His thoughts on how he feels going into the new season are condensed. “I feel very good. I feel fit, healthy, fresh – and young.”
He says he had a good five-week break after the South Africa tour. “I went on a few holidays. I went to Nigeria, went to New York, and a few other places. It was good – I had some family time, some time with my friends.”
Did his burgeoning earning power and 6ft 5in body encourage him to splash out on a seat at the front of the plane? “Well…I'm not too fussy about those type of things, but sometimes you need a bit of leg room.”
Itoje will be in the forefront of England's massive autumn challenge against the All Blacks, whose second row pairing of Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock –who has just passed the 100-cap mark – have raised the bar in fitness and allround excellence since he faced them on the Lions tour.
He says: “They are both fantastic locks. Brodie is a very talented individual, and so is Sam. They are big players in their team. They are right up there with the best in the world at the moment. Every game New Zealand play they seem to be improving, and they are part of that team, so they are constantly improving.”
Itoje says his own fitness programme is directed by the club and by England. “They both coordinate a plan, and I'm very fortunate that I have very smart people helping me with that, and I trust that – it pushes me to the limit.”
Itoje's athleticism, stamina, durability and uncanny, rightplace interventions were showcased during a remarkable breakthrough year in 2016. It not only saw him become a second row fixture for Saracens and England alongside George Kruis, but also scale the heights with his club winning a European and Premiership double and England going on an unbeaten run including a Six Nations Grand Slam and an away series whitewash of the Wallabies.
His stock remained high in 2017, culminating in an outstanding Lions tour despite missing out on a starting shirt in the opening Test.
However, last season Itoje experienced harder times as England slumped in the Six Nations and, despite his myriad qualities, questions started to be raised over his ball-carrying credentials, and the number of penalties he was conceding.
Itoje warned in a Rugby Paper front page story before the South Africa tour that if England's discipline wasn't on the money they would pay a price for it, and yet during the tour it remained a problem, for him and others.
He says: “Individually and as a collective it was a good learning experience for us. We learned lessons about emotional control – about temperament. Discipline is an area in Test match rugby which you have to get right in order to win games, especially if you are playing top level opposition, which we were. It's one of those things where when you try too hard sometimes you end up making too many mistakes.”
He adds: “We were trying too hard to fix things, or to turn the game around. We have a team of individuals who really care about England, and who really care about wanting to win, and sometimes when that happens you try too hard and you don't see the bigger picture. I think that was the case in the first two Tests.”
Itoje believes England showed “immense character” to win the final Test in Cape Town, especially with Mako and Billy Vunipola absent.
Itoje certainly stood up, especially after his missed tackle let Faf de Klerk score in the opening Test. He also showed great lineout skills to supply England with quick, clean ball, but over the series he and Joe Launchbury were second to the Springbok lock combination of RG Snyman and Fanco Mostert, especially in the loose.
Itoje recognises that with England's depth of resources at lock – with Kruis, right, fit again, Launchbury still pitching, Courtney Lawes raring to go, Jonny Hill up-andcoming and Dave Attwood rejuvenated – he is not sacrosanct: “I need to keep on improving my game.
I am not the type of person to rest on my laurels. The type of environment that Eddie Jones has cultivated if you are relaxed or nonchalant with your behaviour or attitude he is not afraid to push you aside.”
He adds: “I believe in what we are trying to do, I believe in the squad, I believe in the coaches and I believe we have the players to achieve what we want to achieve.”
When Itoje is asked how it is possible to keep peaking frorn now until the 2019 World Cup he says that a combination of enthusiasm andajudiciousapproach will do the trick. ‘If you are talking about trying to peak performance-wise across the whole season obviously you cannot play at 100 per cent throughout, but there is a certain level where you don't want to drop from.
“You want to play most of your games from here to here(from 90 percent upwards), and its your Individual responsibility through your preparation, through your recovery, keeping yourself fresh mentally outside rugby by having those mental switch-off moments during the season, to keep the right state of mind.”
He says that the prospect of the World Cup will be like rocket-fuel. “I don't know how you perceive it, but that's got to be the exciting time.
“Hopefully, we would have gone through the season and done well in November, done well with Saracens, won a few more trophies, won the Six Nations by then, hopefully won another Premiership. Then you get to World Cup training camp and that's the time to get excited, with the World Cup getting close.
“How many times in your life are you going to experience that? It's not going too happen often.”
Having seen England go into the 2015 World Cup as if they were fuelled by prune juice, and more recently watched them struggle against a brand new Springbok side, it's difficult to muster the same optimism as Maro Itoje.
However, it was good to hear him speak out on rugby matters with such conviction.
