I was brash and naive in 2017, now I’m ready – Itoje

British and Irish Lions captain Maro Itoje says that he is now a better communicator and team-mate than when he toured New Zealand with the team as a “brash and naive” 22-year-old.

Itoje was the youngest player on the 2017 trip, but came into the team after the Lions had lost the opening Test to the All Blacks and helped his side salvage a series draw with two superb performances.

“I definitely think I’ve matured,” he told Rugby Union Weekly at the Lions squad announcement at the O2.

“I have a greater sense of who I am and what makes me tick and what I think is acceptable and what isn’t acceptable.

“I also think I’ve improved in the way I am able to communicate and relate to my team-mates. You understand things.

“When you are 21 or 22, you are a little bit brash and a bit naive. In many ways that can be a strength because you are fearless, so you just attack things.

Itoje revealed he had missed a Bible study class in a hasty rearrangement of his schedule after learning on Tuesday he would lead the 2025 Lions tour.

As well as appearing at a live squad announcement event at the O2 in London on Thursday, he had dinner with a group of former Lions captains on Wednesday evening.

“I had to ask the lord for forgiveness for missing a session!” he joked.

“To be at a dinner with some of the true icons of the game and be able to break bread, talk and listen to their stories and their experiences was special.

“I was fortunate enough to sit next to Gavin Hastings and he was telling me that more people have been to the moon than captained the Lions.”

Itoje’s captaincy experience is all relatively recent.

It was only eight months ago that he was introduced to the media as the new Saracens captain at an event across London at Tower Bridge.

He then succeeded club team-mate Jamie George as England captain in January in a promotion that took many by surprise.

One of the most keenly discussed positional dilemmas before the announcement was fly-half, with Scotland 10 Finn Russell and England duo Fin Smith and Marcus Smith eventually being picked ahead of Ireland’s first-choice stand-off Sam Prendergast, England veteran George Ford and Racing 92’s three-time tourist Owen Farrell.

Head coach Andy Farrell said Marcus Smith’s ability to play at full-back was key.

Smith sees himself primarily as a fly-half, but after starting eight successive matches at 10 for England earlier this season he was shifted to a full-back role that he first occupied at points during the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

“To go with three specialists in that type of position, you are tying yourself a little in knots, compared to if one or two of those could play in different positions,” said Andy Farrell of his fly-half options.

“It isn’t just what happens on a Wednesday night [midweek fixture] on tour, but how you train the next day in preparation for a Test match or whatever. It is a balance.

“If Marcus is a 10/15 or a 15/10, he is not competing with a Sam Prendergast, who is a great player, or George Ford, who is in great form.

“They [Prendergast and Ford] are competing with Finn Russell and Fin Smith.

Ellis Genge, who is heading on his first Lions tour, was nearly taken off his chair as his Bristol Bears team-mates celebrated by giving him a friendly push.

Northampton Saints posted a video of their squad reacting to 20-year-old Henry Pollock being called up.

He was quickly followed by England trio Tommy Freeman, Alex Mitchell and Fin Smith.

Sale Sharks captured the moment on their team bus when Luke Cowan-Dickie and Tom Curry found out they would both be heading on a second Lions tour, with England wing Tom Roebuck particularly happy.

Is Wales captain Jac Morgan the first player to find out about his Lions selection while on a plane? Possibly.

Given they did not have the plane to themselves, there were no wild celebrations, just a few cheers of “go on Jacy boy” and gentle applause.

Scotland full-back Blair Kinghorn, who is out injured for Toulouse and in a knee brace, was sat at home with his partner, who looked more nervous than him, and he let out an “Allez” when his name was read out.

Wales scrum-half Tomos Williams was based at home when he got the news of his call-up, but that didn’t stop his Gloucester team-mates celebrating.