Maro Itoje eager to preserve ‘history and tradition' of Lions tours
But three days after leading Andy Farrell's men to a series-clinching victory over the Wallabies, with Saturday's final Test in Sydney still to play, Itoje revealed his preference is for the Lions' heritage to be preserved.
'I thought about this at the beginning of the tour. My answer is, with the three nations that the Lions tour, there's a strong sense of history and tradition,' Itoje said.
'Perhaps the Lions is the last of the traditional organisations in the modern era. Part of me is keen for it to continue to rotate among the three countries it does. But, that being said, you have to stay relatively open-minded.
'As it stands, the three nations it tours is pretty good. Also it wouldn't feel the same if we took a short-haul flight. It needs a long-haul flight.'
The Lions' passage through Australia had been something of a procession until they reached Melbourne, where they were pushed to the brink first by the First Nations and Pasifika XV and then the Wallabies.
The 29-26 triumph in the second Test, made possible by overturning an 18-point deficit, will go down as one of the greatest games in their history and has provided validation for the entire 2025 expedition.
Furthermore, with a record crowd for a Lions match in attendance at Melbourne Cricket Ground, it was a reminder of their pulling power, with Itoje insisting the institution described by manager Ieuan Evans as a 'glorious anachronism' is here to stay.
What a night! 🙌🦁#Lions2025 pic.twitter.com/8aw8RLWnSY
— British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) July 28, 2025
'It's been without a shadow of a doubt one of the highlights of my career,' said Itoje, who was also part of the 2017 and 2021 tours.
'When I am old and grey these occasions and these tours are going to be one of the experiences I look back on with extreme fondness.
'It's the aspiration of every British and Irish rugby player. I'd be surprised if you can find a British and Irish rugby player who says they don't want to be a Lion or they don't want to play for the Lions.
'This is something the players want and the players will continue to want for decades and for as long as rugby is being played. And it's something world rugby wants.
'It adds an extra bit of spice and intrigue to the Six Nations when it's Lions year. So I am struggling to see the negatives. It's a great occasion, it's a great event and long may it continue.'
If the Lions prevail at Accor Stadium on Saturday, they will become the first team to whitewash the hosts in a Test series since 1927.
'We still have a job to do. We want to be part of something very special,' Itoje said.
'Winning a Lions series is obviously extremely special, but what would be an absolute dream would be to go out there and perform to the level that we think we can perform and win the third game.
'That's the exciting for us – we want to chase down the performance we have been searching for.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BreakingNews.ie
11 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reveals FAI approached him over Ireland job
Besiktas manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed he was approached by the FAI over the Republic of Ireland managerial role. During the lengthy search to replace Stephen Kenny, the former Manchester United boss emerged as a shock target. Advertisement Icelandic manager Heimir Hallgrímsson ultimately got the job, and Solskjaer returned to management with Turkish side Besiktas. Solskjaer's side will face Kenny's St Patrick's Athletic in a Uefa Conference League qualifier at Tallaght Stadium with a 7.45pm kick-off on Thursday evening. 'We had some good conversations, but in the end it did not turn out that way," Solskjaer said. 'I am very happy where I am now.' When reporters asked Solskjaer for more details on his talks with the FAI, he replied: "That was confidential." Advertisement Solskjaer's Turkish translator asked Solskjaer who Stephen Kenny is. 'Stephen Kenny is the coach of St Patrick's,' Solskjaer replied. 'He was the coach of Ireland before and, after him, the Irish FA asked me if I wanted to be their coach.' Besiktas have had a difficult start to the season in Turkey, but Solskjaer shrugged off the pressure. 'Pressure is a privilege — something we thrive on underneath,' he said. Advertisement Ole Gunnar Solskjær at Tallaght Stadium. Photo: Ryan Byrne/Inpho "When results go against you, you don't enjoy that period but it's a chance to show character, show individual character. 'Football is a bumpy road and you have to manoeuvre and accept it. If you don't results, there will be criticism and If you win every day you are still not perfect. 'If people think we think we are better than St Pat's, they're wrong. Last year, they got to the playoffs and I'm sure they want to go one step further." Solskjaer was full of praise for St Pat's striker Mason Melia, and said Tottenham had made a "good signing" with the 17-year-old, who will move to London in January. 'When you perform at this level at 17, definitely. You see a mature finisher. His movement, the goal he scored against Waterford, the way he spun off the centre back, the way he timed his run, of course. 'I don't want to put too much pressure on him. I always follow the young players when I see them early in their careers. There are a few decent players I played with from Ireland so I have a fond eye for Irish players.'
South Wales Guardian
11 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Alan Sheehan says Swansea plan to build on buzz of Snoop Dogg becoming co-owner
The 53-year-old American rapper joined a growing list of celebrity investors in British football last month by becoming part of a Swansea ownership group that already included Croatia midfield great Luka Modric. Multi award-winning Snoop said Swansea's 'underdog' story 'really struck a chord with me' and his vast following on social media – 89 million on Instagram and 20.5 million on X – quickly learned about the Welsh club and his love for Joe's ice cream in the city. Swansea City is delighted to announce global rap superstar and multi-platinum selling artist @SnoopDogg has become the club's latest high-profile co-owner and investor. 👉 — Swansea City AFC (@SwansOfficial) July 17, 2025 'To have Snoop and Luka on board is a massive benefit,' Swansea boss Sheehan said ahead of Saturday's league opener at Middlesbrough. 'There is a buzz, obviously. As a football club you have to become more appealing commercially, to be more competitive, and appeal to the wider nation. 'It's different to how it was maybe when I was a player, but I understand why, and I totally welcome it. 'Rome wasn't built in a day, but there are big plans for the football club. 'It's about building strong foundations and building that character and resilience within the football club.' Comparisons with Wrexham, who are owned by Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, are unavoidable and already being made. The two Welsh clubs are Championship rivals this season after Wrexham became the first team in the top five tiers of English football to win three successive promotions. A docu-series tracking life at Swansea, on similar lines to the award-winning FX show 'Welcome to Wrexham', is understood to be already in the pipeline. Asked if Swansea – who were relegated in 2018 after seven seasons in the Premier League – were the 'new' Wrexham, Sheehan said: 'No, we're Swansea. We're not new anything. 'Now they're in our division, I suppose, it becomes more there now (rivalry), but we don't play them until December. So I won't really be speaking about them until December.' Modric – who joined the board in April following a takeover led by American businessmen Brett Cravatt and Jason Cohen six months earlier – was unveiled as an AC Milan player on Monday after his trophy-littered 13-year spell at Real Madrid ended this summer. The 39-year-old has played his part in Sheehan's summer recruitment strategy, actively persuading players to join the Welsh club. 'Obviously, his transfer situation… he was unavailable to come here,' smiled Sheehan. 'We've had a few text messages and he's involved. 'Luka has spoke to some players, passed on his knowledge, what he knows about the football club, and the plans that we have for it. 'Snoop and Luka are very invested in the club. They care, they speak through the ownership and the ownership are very good to us.' So will Grammy-nominated Snoop soon be swapping California for Swansea to watch a game? 'I believe so,' said Sheehan. 'But I'm not sure which game yet. It would be very naive and narrow-minded to think two very successful people in what they do could not help us. 'Successful people have a lot in common – a work ethic, a grit, a determination to get where they want to get to. So with Snoop, Luka and the ownership there is a lot of positivity around the football club.'
Wales Online
13 minutes ago
- Wales Online
Nigel Owens gives verdict on 'dangerous' incident that saw ban dished out
Nigel Owens gives verdict on 'dangerous' incident that saw ban dished out 'I can't answer why it was missed but it certainly was missed and it shouldn't be missed' Owens has had his say on the Dan Sheehan incident (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd) Nigel Owens believes British & Irish Lions star Dan Sheehan should have been penalised for his clear-out on Australia fly-half Tom Lynagh during the final Test of the series. In a fiery encounter that involved a lot of heated exchanges between the two teams, the clear-out from Ireland international Sheehan forced Lynagh to be removed from the field with a concussion. It is an issue which has caused him to miss out on the Wallabies' opening Rugby Championship matches against the Springboks in the coming weeks. Sheehan was cited and banned following the game, but legendary Welsh referee Owens says that the officials have to be dealing with incidents like Sheehan's on the field. "Nobody should be in any doubt that this is foul play," said Owens in the latest episode of World Rugby's Whistle Watch. "And it's been dealt with due to the process that's in place where, if the match officials, including the TMO, miss something on the day. "They may not have had enough to trigger them to check something, maybe the footage they saw wasn't clear enough to say there is or there isn't. For whatever reason it was missed. "This type of action is definitely foul play and illegal. Dan Sheehan comes in with his arm down leading with the shoulder. No matter what happens here, the actions are dangerous and they are foul play." Article continues below Owens continued: "Unfortunately, I can't answer why it was missed but it certainly was missed and it shouldn't be missed. We should be getting these types of actions because we want them out of the game. "Some people might be asking: 'Why didn't you go back to check it later if it's a clear red card?' Imagine Dan Sheehan scores a couple of minutes later and then you go back to check this [earlier incident] and realise, 'hang on, Dan Sheehan should be having a red card here', what happens then? "If he should be off the field then he wouldn't have scored this try, so what do you do? Do you take the points away? You're just opening up a huge can of worms then. "My personal view, and not the referees' view, although there are referees who would tend to agree with me, and not World Rugby's view, is that the protocol is far too long as it is now. "This is why we're seeing a lot of TMO intervention and a little bit too much, but also remember we get a lot of things right as well, and that's important to remember. "If you extend the protocol even more, you're just going to have a huge can of worms opened and then you're going to stop for something that was five or six minutes back, and everyone's going, 'what's going on here?' "That's why the protocol needs to be within that timeframe." Sheehan has been banned for four games, which will be reduced to three if he completes World Rugby's coaching intervention. The encounter between the two sides in the third Test was fearsome, with multiple scuffles throughout the game. Article continues below Former international referee Owen Doyle even condemned England legend Owen Farrell for laying into Australian centre Joseph Suaali'i , questioning the values of rugby and describing the game as a "travesty" due to behaviour from both sets of players. The next Lions tour takes place in 2029, with the iconic touring side heading to New Zealand to take on the mighty All Blacks.
