'Totemic' Maro Itoje perfect man to captain England in a crucial Six Nations for Steve Borthwick, says Ben Foden

The 30-year-old Saracens forward was only installed as his club captain last summer, before being handed the England armband for this year’s Six Nations, replacing hooker Jamie George.

He famously had his captaincy credentials called into question by former England head coach Eddie Jones in his 2021 book about leadership, but the 88-cap veteran crucially has the backing of Borthwick - and also a former England international in Ben Foden.

By coincidence, England’s recently-appointed women’s captain Zoe Aldcroft plays in the same position in the second row.

Recently asked what makes that position special, John Mitchell - the England women’s head coach who has entrusted Scarborough-born Aldcroft with leading the Red Roses into World Cup year - said it was more that they are “special individuals and very consistent performers. They’re extraordinary in what they do, that’s why they can lead people”.

For his part, former England full-back Foden who played under Borthwick the captain, believes there is something special about a lock-forward being the international leader.

“It is a good move to have gone with Maro as captain,” said Foden. “He has earned that role. You can’t keep taking your hooker and captain off after 45 minutes as has been the case with Jamie George.

“Maro has proved he is a totemic figure, he is a good leader, leads by example. He will shoulder that responsibility well.

“And I like having a second row as captain. Borthwick was captain back in the day and Martin Johnson was one of England’s greatest captains.

"It is a great statement to the team about where they want to be.”

That being said, Foden believes the time for clarity from England, on their leadership, their defence and their style of play must come to the fore in the forthcoming Six Nations Championship.

England endured a trying 2024 in which they lost seven out of 12 games, although four of those were against New Zealand and South Africa and one was by two points in France in the Six Nations finale.

But as he enters his third European tournament as England head coach, having finished fourth and third and won only half his matches in his first two years, there can be no more mitigating factors.

“The time for experimenting is over,” Foden told Instant Casino.

“They have to hang their hat on a defensive plan - there is nothing worse for a player than mixed messages. What you want as a player is strict instructions.

“When you make mistakes because you are stuck between two styles it becomes very hard for people to point fingers. Any good team is built on a foundation of trust, but that only comes from healthy conflict; players questioning each other and questioning the coaches.

“You have to have an identity when you defend so players can be held accountable. It gets hard when you keep changing how you defend, and new guys come in who want to put their imprint on it because at the end of the day it is their neck on the line. Our defence wasn’t working in the autumn. We leaked tries. That comes from decisions such as switching Marcus Smith to fullback just to keep him on the field. He doesn’t play 15 week in week out; he jams in when he should stay out for instance.”

For Foden, there is only one place where a game-breaker like Smith should be playing - fly-half.

“I use New Zealand as a benchmark on this. When they were dominating, Beauden Barrett was probably the best ten in the world,” he said. “Then a young superstar called Richie Mo’unga came on the scene, and they felt that they had to get him on the team so moved Barrett to full-back. It didn’t work.

“Freddie Steward is playing really well at full-back and he would have started even if George Furbank had been fit in my opinion.

“So, you have to keep faith with Marcus. He is a genuine game changer and one of the best players in the world at the moment.

“I really like Finn Smith, but we haven’t seen enough of him in international rugby. Finn is a player you bring on to steady the ship and you make that direct like for like replacement because you want to finish the game in a different way.

“Finn is more of a marshaller. Marcus is the spark and the energy England needs at the moment.”

As for the tournament as a whole, which kicks off in Paris on Friday when France host Wales before England head to defending champions Ireland on Saturday teatime, Foden offered: “There are four teams that could win the title, Scotland, France, Ireland and England. With their talent pool and the expectations of being England they have to be in the mix. The opening game in Ireland is crucial. If they can win that game it puts down a marker, as they then have three home games.”