Maro Itoje has claimed he ‘never thought about leaving Saracens’, but we wonder what he’d done if Racing 92 met his ludicrous demands a few years back
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With the men in black dumped into the Championship, reports were everywhere linking England’s star man with a temportary move to either France or South Africa.
“I had very little reservations in my mind about staying, I knew this was the place I wanted to be, I knew Saracens would be back competing for things,” Itoje revealed to the Telegraph.
“You only have to look at the quality of the personnel, not just the playing staff, coaches, support staff to know we would be back at some point.
“I still felt Saracens was the best place for me to continue to grow as a rugby player and as a person. I still felt Saracens was the environment where I could achieve all of my goals.
‘I still felt Saracens was the place… despite relegation and obviously no one really wants to play in the Championship, I still felt it was the right place for me to have the type of career I want to have.”
However, if Its to be believed then Itoje’s loyalty wasn’t as concrete as he claims.
The England lock, who was linked with a move to the Top 14 when Saracens were relegated, would demand a huge salary plus bonuses, according to Racing 92 owner Jacky Lorenzetti.
Asked if Itoje wanted too much money, Lorezetti told rugbyrama.fr : “Yes, it was unpayable.
“You know, we weren’t the only ones at the time: Bordeaux, Lyon, Montpellier were all called upon. We were talking about a salary of over £1m plus bonuses.
“That represented 10 per cent of our payroll. We made the choice not to go any further. I think he doesn’t want to move, so they come out with ridiculous demands.”
What England’s 2003 Rugby World Cup Heroes Look Like Today – Some Have Undergone Major Transformations
Sir Clive Woodward’s England lifted the William Webb Ellis trophy for the first – and so far only – time in 2003, after a Jonny Wilkinson drop goal in extra time.
Woodward’s side are still the only northern hemisphere side to win the World Cup, with the other nine tournaments won by South Africa (four), New Zealand (three) and Australia (two).
In a video posted by England Rugby’s Instagram account, Wilkinson – who scored the all important drop goal 28 seconds from time – said: ‘It’s great being back with all the guys from the squad 20 years on.
‘It’s great to be able to see everyone, and to get a feel of what everyone’s been up to, but also to I guess get a feel for why we were able to do what we did 20 years ago, because it still lives on in everyone.’
Take a look at how some of the key players look now:
Phil Vickery
A former Gloucester and London Wasps prop, Phil Vickery called time on his career at the end of the 2010 Premiership season. The two-time British & Irish Lion was a revered opponent across the world, and has since started a successful clothing brand ‘Raging Bull’, with his on-field nickname. Vickery was forced into retirement due to a series of neck injuries, and in 2012 he joined Worcester Warriors as their Scrum Coach.
Vickery has also tried his hand at sports broadcasting, as he was apart of the commentary team for the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. His on-screen appearances have also been witnessed across a variety of TV shows, including ‘Celebrity MasterChef’, which he won in 2011. An eternal fan favourite at Kingsholm Stadium, Vickery was appointed the title of Deputy Lieutenant of Gloucestershire in 2015.
Jonny Wilkinson
Renowned for his iconic drop-goal that secured victory against Australia in the 2003 final, Wilkinson transitioned into a coaching role with Toulon, focusing on kicking and skills development following his retirement. He also now works as a pundit for ITV Sport during Rugby World Cup’s and the Six Nations.
Will Greenwood
Greenwood continued to shine on the international stage following the 2003 glory, and went on to represent the British & Irish Lions for their 2005 tour to New Zealand. He ended his career at Harlequins in 2006, and soon gave his experienced views through analysis and punditry. Greenwood co-hosted the ‘School of Hard Knocks’ TV series with former Wales international Scott Quinnell, and was an on-screen analyst for ITV as England reached the final of the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
Will has also explored opportunities away from rugby, and is the current Chief Customer Officer for data and software company Afiniti’s London office. Greenwood’s family was struck with tragedy, after his son Freddie died just 45 minutes after being born. The former England centre underwent an inspirational walk to the North Pole in memory of his son, and helped to raise over £750,000 for Borne’s research. Greenwood is a patron of Borne, who are a medical research charity that work with cases of premature birth. He is also a patron of Child Bereavement UK, which is a charity that support parents who have lost a child.