3 months ago
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Maro Itoje aims to prove former England coach Eddie Jones wrong as he takes on the Saracens captaincy.
Jones questioned whether Itoje was suited to captaincy in a 2021 book, claiming the second row was "very inward-looking" and did not "usually influence people off the field".
"I felt that was a wrong diagnosis of who I am," said Itoje.
"Most people who know me, most people who read those comments who knew me, would say that was an inaccurate conclusion to who I am as a person.
"I guess it was unfortunate that your coach would say something like that about you, but in life not everyone is going to see the things that way you see it."
The 29-year-old also denied Jones' claim that he had taken "acting lessons" to improve his leadership.
"I worked with the psychologist at the time in terms of how to communicate more clearly and get a message across in a more effective manner," he said.
"I was not waltzing across a stage and practising my Shakespearean prose."
Itoje will lead Saracens this season after former England captain Owen Farrell moved to French side Racing 92 over the summer.
It is the first time Itoje, 29, who skippered England Under-20s to a Junior World Cup win in 2014, has been the regular captain of a senior first-choice team.
"It's not like I've gone to sleep praying to be captain," he said. "I feel like it's something that's always been in and around me. Leadership is something I'm interested in.
"Owen was obviously a great leader and someone who I have the utmost respect for.
"I don't necessarily compare myself with him, obviously we are different people and therefore have different styles, different attributes and probably go about things differently just due to our different personalities.
"I want to lead by example and make sure my performance levels stay high. I don't want to deviate too much from what has made me the man and player I am today."
Itoje said he would draw on the leadership styles of previous Saracens captains, name-checking Brad Barritt and current England head coach Steve Borthwick along with Farrell, but he also takes inspiration from life beyond rugby.
Alongside pioneering Ghanaian leader Kwame Nkrumah and boxing legend Muhammad Ali, Arsenal fan Itoje is an admirer of former Gunners captain Patrick Vieira.
"He was tough," said Itoje.
"He was a no-nonsense player, he was elegant. I loved his spats with [former Manchester United captain] Roy Keane in the tunnel.
"He was graceful, he didn't seem like the loudest man in the room, but he had a presence about him.
"He knew he had the respect of his team-mates and he was a winner."
Itoje, who has won 84 caps for England since making his debut in 2016 and been part of two British and Irish Lions tours, is regularly mentioned as a candidate to captain at a higher level.
It is not a prospect he is entertaining at the moment.
"That position is held by my friend and team-mate Jamie George," he said of the England role.
"I'm not commenting on another man's job - I’ve barely started this one. I want to give my best to this and see where we go."
Excluding the two seasons affected by their 2019 points deduction and subsequent relegation, Saracens' last campaign was the first time they have failed to make the Premiership final since 2017.
They take on Gloucester at Kingsholm in their season opener on Saturday.
