MARO'S PAIN WILL DRIVE US

George mission to ease Itoje heartbreak

- BY ADAM HATHAWAY

MARO ITOJE will arrive late in England's Six Nations camp tomorrow after a personal tragedy but has been backed to fire up the Red Roses campaign.

The skipper lost his mother, Florence, in December, and has been in Nigeria for her funeral but will join the national squad in Girona this week.

Itoje, rightly, was excused duties at yesterday's tournament launch in Edinburgh, where his old mate from Saracens, and England vice-captain, Jamie George stood in before flying to Spain.

Hooker George was in the same city where, as captain, two years ago ahead of England's Calcutta Cup clash with Scotland he was trying to process the recent loss of his mother, Jane.