England captain Maro Itoje could be forced to sit out the historic first edition of the Nations Championship this July, as head coach Steve Borthwick weighs the long-term benefits of resting his talismanic forward ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup. The revelation comes amid mounting concerns over Itoje’s punishing workload, which has seen the 31-year-old surpass the RFU’s player welfare thresholds for two successive campaigns, logging more than 30 matches each season while battling a knee injury and the lingering effects of a concussion sustained during last summer’s British and Irish Lions tour.
Borthwick, speaking to Sky Sports, confirmed that discussions with Itoje and performance director Phil Morrow are “ongoing,” with no final decision made but a clear willingness to prioritise the player’s health. “We look at each player on an individual basis,” Borthwick said. “Maro came into camp yesterday, as we agreed prior to camp, and then left camp last night because we thought it was the right thing for him.” The England boss admitted that the gruelling schedule – which will see the team face South Africa in Johannesburg, Fiji in Liverpool at Everton’s new stadium, and Argentina in Santiago del Estero across three consecutive weekends – would test even the freshest athlete, let alone one with Itoje’s recent history.
The inaugural Nations Championship represents a bold new chapter for the sport, but its timing could hardly be worse for an England side still reeling from a disastrous Six Nations campaign earlier this year. A solitary win over Wales was bookended by a record home defeat to Ireland and a first-ever loss to Italy, leaving Borthwick’s men fifth in the table and prompting a “challenging” RFU review. While Borthwick has been backed to lead the squad into the World Cup, the pressure is on to rebuild momentum, and losing a leader of Itoje’s calibre – even temporarily – would be a significant blow.
Yet the logic behind a rest period is hard to fault. Itoje’s minutes have been extraordinary: since the start of the 2024/25 season, he has been a near ever-present for club and country, only breaking after the Lions’ series win in Australia to manage concussion symptoms and a persistent knee issue. Those physical tolls, combined with the emotional demands of captaining the Lions, have left the second-row forward in a precarious state. Modern rugby’s calendar offers little respite, and with the World Cup on the horizon, the RFU and England management appear determined to avoid burnout of their most indispensable asset.
The decision, should it be taken, would also have symbolic weight. Itoje is not merely a senior player; he is the heartbeat of the England pack and the embodiment of the team’s defensive grit. His absence from the touring party would force Borthwick to accelerate the development of alternative leaders and test the depth of a forward unit that has often leaned heavily on his brilliance. The head coach hinted at a flexible approach, noting that different squads might be deployed for the home fixture against Fiji, but conceded that the conversation around Itoje is part of a broader strategy to manage each player “with an eye to what’s coming next year.”
In the immediate term, the squad named on Monday offered a glimpse of how England might evolve. South Africa-born centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg earned his first call-up, with his residency qualification set to clear on July 8. His inclusion – at the expense of Bath duo Ollie Lawrence and Max Ojomoh – signals Borthwick’s willingness to refresh the midfield options and adds physicality to a backline that struggled to impose itself during the Six Nations. Janse van Rensburg’s rise from the Gallagher Premiership to the international stage is a testament to his consistent form, and his arrival could offset any loss of leadership if Itoje is indeed absent.
Off the field, the coaching setup has been bolstered by the full-time appointment of Byron McGuigan, the former Scotland back who has been working with England on a consultancy basis since last summer. McGuigan, who has impressed with his detailed work on collision skills, the aerial contest, and back-three development, will now take on a permanent role. Borthwick praised his “energy” and “individual player development” focus, underlining the importance of fresh ideas as the team looks to evolve its playing style. McGuigan’s permanent presence, alongside the broader coaching group, will be crucial in a year that could define England’s trajectory.
The road ahead is daunting: over 25,000 miles of travel, three contrasting opponents on three continents, and the weight of a nation’s expectations after a humbling Six Nations. For Borthwick, the summer is “a formidable challenge” but also an opportunity to learn more about his squad’s character. Whether Itoje is part of that journey or given the summer off, the choices made in the coming weeks will reverberate all the way to Australia in 2027. The delicate balance between present competitiveness and future success has never been more acute, and in resting his captain, Borthwick might just be making the bravest call of his tenure.
Based on reporting from Sky Sports.