Itoje thinking of mum for cap 100

RUGBY UNION

- By DUNCAN BECH

England locks Maro Itoje, (centre), Ollie Chessum and Alex Coles talk with head coach Steve Borthwick (left) during the England Captain's Run at Allianz Stadium

MARO Itoje is poised to win his 100th England cap but admits he might not have reached the milestone without learning to manage the “emotional turmoil” present early on in his rugby odyssey.

Ten years after making his debut as a replacement against Italy, Itoje becomes the country’s ninth men’s Test centurion when Ireland visit Allianz Stadium in round three of the Guinness Six Nations.

It will be a special moment for one of the greats of English rugby but reflecting on 2016, when he was a rising star with a big reputation, he recalls facing a make-or-break obstacle.

“At the start of my career I probably didn’t have a full understanding of how to regulate the emotions leading up to a Test match,’ the England captain said.