Jamie George has been reappointed as England captain for the Nations Championship tour after Maro Itoje was rested by Steve Borthwick. The Saracens hooker will lead a 36-man squad into a demanding summer schedule that starts against South Africa before fixtures with Fiji and Argentina.
The decision gives England an experienced voice at the front of a group that also includes five uncapped players. Noah Caluori, Greg Fisilau, Benhard Janse van Rensburg, George Kloska and Vilikesa Sela have all been selected, although Van Rensburg is not eligible for the South Africa Test because his residency qualification arrives the following week.
Itoje’s absence is workload management rather than a form call, with England choosing to protect their regular captain after a heavy stretch of club and international rugby. George, 35, now becomes the stabilising figure for a tour that comes with England trying to respond to a four-match losing run, according to the Guardian’s squad report.
George gives Borthwick a steady hand for a brutal run
The captaincy choice also says plenty about Borthwick’s priorities. England could have used this tour to push a younger leader such as Ollie Chessum into the role, but George offers Test-match authority in a squad that has been refreshed elsewhere.
With South Africa first up, followed by long-haul shifts to face Fiji and Argentina, England need clarity quickly. The fresh caps will bring energy, but George’s job is to make sure the reset does not become another unstable summer.
