Borthwick set to rest Itoje for summer Tests unless injury crisis forces rethink

Steve Borthwick is on the verge of resting England captain Maro Itoje for next month’s Nations Championship Tests against South Africa, Fiji and Argentina, with the head coach acknowledging it would be “the right thing to do” given the toll of an extraordinary year for the 31-year-old lock.

Itoje captained the British and Irish Lions to a series victory over Australia, featured in England’s autumn and Six Nations campaigns, and dealt with the death of his mother — a combination that has left him having accumulated more Test minutes than any other player in world rugby over the past decade. Borthwick confirmed Itoje is “fully on board with the plan”.

However, the decision is not yet final. Borthwick will monitor the fitness of George Martin and Alex Coles across the weekend before committing. Martin starts for England in a non-cap international against a France XV in Vannes on Friday, while Coles lines up for Northampton in the Gallagher Premiership final against Exeter at Allianz Stadium on Saturday. If either player picks up an injury, Borthwick warned he may be forced to reconsider, as it would leave Itoje and Ollie Chessum as his only frontline locks ahead of the Nations Championship opener against South Africa on 4 July.

“Maro’s circumstances have been very specific and the right thing to do, in a best-case scenario, would be for him not to be with the England squad this summer,” Borthwick said. “What I want to make sure is that it’s also the right thing for the team. Clearly, the context is key. There are a number of different factors we take into consideration, one of those being other player availability in the position.”

Elsewhere, Borthwick hinted that Exeter wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, returning from a facial injury, and Northampton scrum-half Alex Mitchell, nearing fitness after a pulled hamstring, will both be allowed to feature in Saturday’s Premiership final if they are fit to do so. Under the terms of the Professional Game Partnership between the RFU and Premiership clubs, Borthwick holds the final say over their involvement.

“We want players playing in big games, competing for trophies and hopefully being involved in tight games where decisions have to be made, much like in Test rugby,” Borthwick said. “I want players playing in as many big games as possible because that is good for the England team, but each decision is taken on an individual basis.”

South Africa-born Benhard Janse van Rensburg is set to make his England debut off the bench in Friday’s clash with the France XV in Vannes.