England rugby captain Maro Itoje has delivered a powerful rebuke to billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, labelling the Manchester United co-owner's assertion that the United Kingdom has been 'colonised by immigrants' as utterly ridiculous. The remarks, made by Ratcliffe earlier this week alongside criticism that Prime Minister Keir Starmer is 'too nice' to stabilise the economy, have ignited significant controversy.
Itoje's Forceful Rejection
Speaking on the eve of England's crucial Calcutta Cup clash against Scotland at Murrayfield, Itoje did not mince his words. 'Obviously I don't condone the language that he used,' stated the captain. 'I think, if I've read correctly, he has apologised for his comments. I think, naturally, I am of Nigerian descent. I was born in this country, but of Nigerian descent.'
'And I think it's ridiculous to say that Great Britain has been colonised by immigrants, because that is so far from the truth. So, yeah, I think it's wrong,' he added emphatically. Itoje, who becomes only the third black captain to lead England after Jason Robinson and Courtney Lawes, recently visited the Prime Minister at Downing Street, adding weight to his public stance on the issue.
Focus on the Field
The captain's comments come as he prepares to return to the starting lineup after missing last week's commanding 48-7 victory over Wales due to his mother's funeral. His leadership will be pivotal as England seek their 13th consecutive victory and aim to break a winless streak at Murrayfield dating back to 2020. Confidence within the squad is reportedly high following recent impressive wins against rugby powerhouses New Zealand and Australia.
Addressing the upcoming match, Itoje acknowledged the challenge. 'Scotland are a good team, they possess a number of threats. For me, it is not about dwelling too much on previous history,' he said. 'This is an opportunity for us as a group to create new history, this is an opportunity for us to be the type of England team we want to be going to these amazing stadiums and performing well. That is the positive message we want to try and reinforce.'
Murrayfield Atmosphere and Rivalry
When questioned about the potentially hostile reception at Murrayfield, Itoje responded with characteristic composure. 'It is not that hostile! They like us here,' he joked. 'Every captain has a slight style, here is not necessarily the forum to discuss all of that but when you play away from home you generally have to be sharper. There are things that happen you just have to roll with, there are things that happen that you just take on the chin and make sure you are bullet proof to the scenarios.'
The Calcutta Cup rivalry has been historically intense, with Scotland's recent dominance often attributed to the creative genius of fly-half Finn Russell. Past encounters have been laden with physical and verbal sparring, including incidents where England's George Ford was targeted in the tunnel by Ryan Wilson and former coach Eddie Jones faced abuse from supporters.
'I want us to be aggressive, accurate, play with confidence,' Itoje outlined his strategy. 'Saturday is going to be a very physical game. Every time we play them and every time we play them up here it’s always a physical game. I just want us to be confident; I want us to be the aggressors and take pride in how we play. Just put ourselves on the front foot. Attack the game.'
He concluded on an optimistic note regarding the team's development: 'We’ve built confidence throughout this last week and previous games and the more we are together it feels like we are pushing in the right direction, and I want us to continue in that spirit.'
