England captain Maro Itoje missed Monday’s Six Nations launch in Edinburgh as he was attending his mother’s funeral in Nigeria, but he is expected to join the squad later this week.
Itoje announced last week via Instagram that his mother Florence had passed away in December.
England and Saracens hooker Jamie George was at the Six Nations launch in place of Itoje and said he had been supporting his teammate as best he could.
Balancing rugby and personal heartbreak is a challenge George can empathise with, after his own mother passed away during the Six Nations in 2024.
“We’ve spoken a lot. The parallels are scary, really. It’s heartbreaking news. I know how much of a difficult time he’s going through,” George, who Itoje succeeded as England captain, said.
“My biggest message to him was to make sure he gives himself enough time to grieve and to process things. He’s had a good opportunity to do that and is only going to come back when he’s fully ready to give everything of himself to the squad.
“He’s in Nigeria at the minute but he’ll be back ready to give all of himself to the team and be successful to make the rest of his family very proud. We’re all determined to do that for him, too.”
While they await their captain’s return, England are ramping up preparations for the Six Nations, with the team heading to Girona for a warm weather camp before their opening game against Wales at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham on Feb. 7.
George said he is happy with how the squad has developed in recent months, but insisted they need to keep evolving if they’re to realise their title dreams.
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“We’re in a good spot, there’s no hiding that. There’s a lot of confidence in the group and a lot of enjoyment about being in camp. That’s a good indicator that you will go on to play good rugby,” George said.
“We welcome the expectation because it’s a compliment for what we’ve done and what we’ve achieved over a short period of time, but it also keep us on our toes because we know we can’t be complacent and can’t rely on previous performances.
“We know that if we are the same team as we were for the last 11 games, it’s not going to be good enough, so our focus over the next two weeks is to become a better team. We have to set a new tone and new standard and play with a new intensity and in a way we’re proud of.”
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