Maro Itoje ready to push himself even further as Toulon precursor provides perfect preparation for Six Nations

As Maro Itoje sits down at Allianz Park, home of the reigning European champions Saracens, a large scar on the top of his right hand is just visible beneath his jumper. He missed all four of England’s autumn internationals at the back end of 2016 after suffering a fractured hand, but he’s now back at full fitness and ready for this weekend’s appetising European Champions Cup clash against Toulon.

Saracens inherited Toulon’s European crown last season following three years of dominance by the money-rich Top 14 side, and Sarries went one better in their opening Pool 3 encounter last October when they left the Stade Felix Mayol with a 31-23 victory.

“Obviously that game was a great game for us, a great game for the club,” says Itoje. “If I remember correctly I think it was the first time they’ve lost a European game at home which you know is a huge achievement.”

But the 22-year-old won’t be resting on his laurels when Toulon’s star-studded, albeit underperforming team, arrive in north London this Saturday.

“That game doesn’t really mean anything. It’s going to be a fresh new challenge, it’s going to be a new day and they’ll be hungry, we’re going to be hungry so it’s going to be a good game, I’m sure it’s going to be an exciting game and one that I’m looking forward to being involved in.”

The added carrot for this weekend’s tie, should a clash between the two sides that between them have won the last four European trophies, is that the Six Nations begins in just two weeks’ time, and this is likely to be Itoje’s final run-out before Eddie Jones names his side to face France in England’s campaign opener at Twickenham.

Having missed the last four Tests through injury, most players would be struggling to reclaim their shirt at the first time of asking, but in Itoje Jones is able to call on one of the form players in world rugby over the past two years that he knows he can depend on to perform at the required level. Jones also knows that he can call on Itoje’s versatility, with the forward likely to be deployed at blindside flanker in Chris Robshaw’s absence.

Just 14 days before Le Crunch, a number of the England squad will face the daunting prospect of Toulon, while the rest of the squad will be taking on the likes of Glasgow Warriors, Clermont Auverge and Montpellier – all rather testing opposition. Yet Itoje, who has proven a player for the big occasion, would have it no other way.

“I don’t mind it at all. As a rugby player I want to play the best teams and be a part of big games and this certainly is a big game,” he says. “Obviously playing Toulon is going to be a bit bruising as [they’re] a big physical team, but it’s probably the closest thing you can get to international rugby.

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“The thing about Toulon is that they just have so many good players. You can’t switch off for a second, if you switch off then they have a plethora of talent from 1 to 23, 1 to 45 probably. So you can’t switch off, you need your team to be on it, you need to be switched on as they’re a team that you can think you’ve got them and then they can just turn it on. When they have that much talent, that much quality, they can just turn games so it’s going to be a good game and I’m sure an exciting one to watch.”

In Toulon’s place, Saracens have proven the dominant northern hemisphere side, much like England have on the international stage in the form of their 14-match winning streak. Itoje has the pleasant position of being one of the first names on the teamsheet for both, but the question now is just how far can the second-row-cum-flanker go?

It’s a question that provokes a lot of thought from the Harrow School graduate, and is not helped by the raised expectation that comes from the likes of Jones and Paul Gustard that Itoje can go on the become the best in the world. But is he currently playing at his full potential?

Itoje explains: “I think I can get better, I don’t think I’ve reached my peak. I feel as if there’s a lot more to give from me, I feel as if I can give more and I think I’m lucky to have the quality, not only the quality of coaches, but the quality of players [around me].

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“I feel there’s several areas of my game [that can improve], I don’t think it’s necessary to share them with you guys. I feel as if there are areas of my game that I’ve spoken to my coaches about and we’ve identified them. The onus is on me to improve those areas and keep on pushing and try to help the team the best way I can.

He adds: “The England team is going in a positive direction and it isn’t down to any one individual, it’s down to the collective, and it’s going in that direction and it’s your choice if you want to be a part of it or not and be on that journey with the team. All I can do is work hard on my own game and try and put my hand up, then it’s down to the coaches to pick the team they think is best to take the team forward.”

For this England team the immediate task is to win a second consecutive Grand Slam championship, which given that the 2017 campaign involves trips to Cardiff and Dublin, would certainly be more impressive than last year’s unexpected triumph.

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But there’s also the British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand on the horizon, of which Itoje is right in the mix for a starting spot in Warren Gatland’s Test side. Itoje is the first to stress that it’s a long way off – five months and five days until the first Test in Auckland to be precise – but like the high praise that floats around his name, Itoje is also happy to acknowledge the possibility of being included – just four years after watching the 2-1 series win over Australia while he was still at school.

“Obviously that’s happening in the summer but that’s an awful long time away,” he says. “I’m aware that it’s going on, and I’m aware that it’s happening at the end of the season and it’s a great tournament and one I thoroughly enjoyed watching as a fan in 2013 when I was in school, but as I said it’s a very, very long time away and I think we’ve got so much happening, so much rugby to be played between now and the end of the season that it would be foolish of me to focus on it.”

Maro Itoje is a BT Sport ambassador. Watch Saracens v Toulon this Saturday at 15:00, exclusively live on BT Sport 2. BT Sport is the only place to watch rugby from the European Rugby Champions and Challenge Cup and the Aviva Premiership.