Maro Itoje reveals that he wants year away from Saracens

Maro Itoje reveals that he wants year away from Saracens

England and Saracens lock Maro Itoje has revealed that he intends to spend at least a year of his career abroad.

The 25-year-old has spent his career at Saracens but revealed ahead of this weekend's Champions Cup that he plans to spend at least a season away from Saracens in a move that would make him unavailable for England - but not before helping to restore Saracens to their former glories.

Itoje was rumoured to have been offered a loan move to Racing 92, which fell through, and the second-rower has since committed to spending next season in the Championship with Saracens. He, however, could still embark on a short-term loan to a Super Rugby side after next year’s Six Nations and before the British & Irish Lions tour but Itoje is eyeing a longer-term spell away from England to broaden his horizons.

“I think at some stage in my life I would love to play abroad,” Itoje says. “I think I’ve had a great life and I’m very privileged to play the sport that I love and experience the things that I have experienced. But experiencing a different culture, a different style, just a different vibe…

 


“I’ve lived in north-west London for the majority of my life, it’s a lovely place to live and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else in England. At the same time it would be great to experience something else further down the line.”

"I don’t really want to pigeon-hole myself into a specific region but when the time is right I’d love to spend at least a season somewhere.”


 

 
 
 
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“Do they play rugby in Barbados? I might play there,” he jested when asked which country he might like to go to.

“I’m fairly open to where the future holds. I don’t really want to pigeon myself into a certain region or a place… but when the time is right I would love to spend at least a season somewhere.”

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