England captain Itoje targets Autumn Nations clean sweep / Photo: Glyn KIRK - AFP
-
RSC’s ‘Julius Caesar’ Reimagined in Women’s Prison Setting for School Tour
-
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductees Announced; Attendance List Shrinks
-
Thomson Reuters Integrates CUBE Regulatory Intelligence into CoCounsel Legal
-
Below Deck alumnus João Franco and brother arrested after fatal Turkey fight
-
Ole Miss inquiry expands after video and monkey-noise allegations
-
Thousands of Urban Homes Left Without High-Speed Internet Due to Broadband Blackspots
-
General Hospital actor Randall England dies at 75
-
Bunnie XO artwork taken down from Jelly Roll’s Nashville bar
-
London museum removes Russell Brand hair exhibit after rape conviction
-
Arlington sentinel rebukes Pete Hegseth entourage for laughter near memorial
-
Yella Beezy sentenced to life for arranging rapper Mo3’s murder
-
Kylie Jenner employee describes closet ordeal and pepper-spray incident
-
Authorities to identify Montauk Mary and five other Long Island cold-case victims
-
Davante Adams injury deepens Los Angeles Rams receiver shortage
-
Barbie sequel negotiations stall over reported $25 million pay packages
-
João Franco’s earlier post draws attention after arrest over fatal Turkey brawl
-
Bath & Body Works launches buy-one-get-one-free candle offer
-
Alberta Launches $5M Fund for Women’s Neurology Research to Address Gender Gaps
-
Itlu Arjuna receives U/A certificate ahead of theatrical release
-
Dhananjaya de Silva guides Sri Lanka to 221-4 against Pakistan
-
Niraj Kumar earns Los Angeles Olympic quota with 50m rifle bronze
-
Delhi gold loses Rs 800 while silver falls Rs 5,000
-
India extends micro-credit guarantee plan for five years
-
Madlanga Commission Deadline Extended to 2027 Amid Calls for Structural Justice Reform
-
Pradeep Antony, Smeha Manimegalai portray secret spouses in Mr & Mrs Office
-
Zelenskyy arrives in Dublin for meetings on Ukraine and peace efforts
-
Woman barred from every Greggs outlet after series of offences
-
Jury hears social-media image helped identify teen in Scarlett Faulkner case
-
Ketchup packets link suspect to break-in at Eddie Rocket’s restaurant
-
American Airlines passenger falls ill and vomits on three travellers
-
OPEC Says Oil Output Is Near Prewar Levels Despite Shipping Disruptions
-
US Inflation Broadens as Fed Officials Consider Faster Rate Hikes
-
China's Singles' Day Exposes Persistent Consumer Caution
-
China's Trade Surplus Passes $1 Trillion as Technology Exports Surge
-
Energy Costs Push OECD Inflation Up to 4.5%
-
Bank of England Raises Interest Rate to 4% as Energy Risks Intensify
-
US Adds 165,000 Jobs as Unemployment Falls to 4.1%
-
China's Factory Inflation Accelerates While Consumer Demand Stays Weak
-
Euro-Area Inflation Reaches 4% as Energy Prices Jump
-
Spain's General Strike Links Housing Crisis to Lost Purchasing Power
-
Irish police prepare for further hoax bomb threats after hundreds of schools targeted
-
Korea, Singapore and New Zealand Advance Green Trade Pact Talks
-
RBA Inflation Target Origins: Why Australia Chose a Range Over Zero
-
Ireland and Ukraine consider drone cooperation memorandum after Dublin talks
-
Sister recounts fatal machete attack as Irish murder trial continues
-
Georgia refrigeration company sues EPA after five-year HFC reprieve
-
HoloCoder technology promises brighter smartphone images and 3D depth data
-
EU proposes broad consumer safeguards for apps, subscriptions and ticketing
England captain Itoje targets Autumn Nations clean sweep
England captain Maro Itoje has challenged his side to achieve a clean sweep of four Test wins in November as they set out on the road to the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
First up for England are resurgent World Cup hosts Australia at Twickenham on Saturday, with Itoje's men then hosting Fiji, New Zealand and Argentina.
The clash with the All Blacks is the stand-out fixture on November 15, but Fiji won on their last visit to Twickenham in 2023, while Argentina have shown they can beat the world's best sides.
"There's not a team we're playing who we can't beat," said Itoje. "We want to go and win all our games. Every player should definitely aspire to that. Our fans should expect us to have the same mindset.
"The All Blacks are always tough. Whenever you get a result against them it's a big deal and that's within our capability. But first we have Australia in front of us and that's our immediate focus."
Itoje was also the captain of the British and Irish Lions side that won 2-1 in Australia this year.
Having led the Lions to a series victory, Itoje's focus is now on global glory with England.
"Particularly for guys at the top, the four-year cycles are split into two and two. You want to be part of the Lions tour and then part of the World Cup," he said.
"As a squad and as individuals, we want to do really well in 2027. But in order for us to do that and have the best chance, we have these really important games in the build-up.
"You don't just rock up to a World Cup and win."
England need no reminding of the threat posed by Australia after Max Jorgensen's last-ditch try sealed a 42-37 win for the Wallabies at Twickenham 12 months ago.
Australia also overturned a 22-point deficit to defeat South Africa at the world champions' Ellis Park fortress in a Rugby Championship match in August.
Recalling the Lions series in Australia, Itoje said: "When you play three games against someone back-to-back you tend to pick up trends and what they're about.
"Australia are a tough team. Their physicality, when you watch it you don't notice it but their players really do look to lay down a marker physically.
"They're a well-coached and well-drilled team. It seems like they have a real clear identity and a vision of how they want to play."
D.Sawyer--AMWN