With a record of five wins in 12 games, Jamie George will not go down as one of England’s great captains. Few men in the professional era, however, have skippered England with more pride or sacrificed more to lead their country.

But Borthwick has opted to replace George with Saracens team-mate Itoje amid mounting speculation over the hooker’s place in England’s starting XV for next month’s Six Natio

Maro Itoje has been named England captain for this year’s Six Nations. Steve Borthwick has taken the armband from his Saracens teammate Jamie George, who skippered the team to mixed success in the Autumn Nations Series last year.