MARO'S CRICKET GROUND

Lions captain Itoje fired up to bury the Aussies in legend Warney's backyard

- FROM ADAM HATHAWAY in Melbourne

MARO ITOJE knows all about history and is urging his side to embrace their date with destiny at the Colosseum of Australian cricket today.

The Lions skipper will lead out his side at the MCG, the traditional graveyard of English Ashes hopes, knowing a win will nail the series against the Wallabies with a game to spare.

The tourists have never played a Test match at the 100,024-capacity sporting mecca in Victoria where the last English sporting captain to win was Andrew Strauss nearly 15 years ago.

Itoje has his told his side, who won 27-19 in Brisbane last week, to do what Strauss and his cricketers did and rise to the occasion down under.

"These sorts of games are the reason why you want to play rugby," said Itoje, a Grand Slam winner, World Cup finalist and three-time European champion.