'Losing captaincy almost made me end England career'

Men's Six Nations: England v Italy

Date: Sunday, 9 March Kick-off: 15:00 GMT Venue: Allianz Stadium, Twickenham

Coverage: Live audio commentary via the BBC Sport website and app

Jamie George considered ending his England vocation due to the fact that of the daze and symptom of losing the captaincy earlier the commencement of the Six Nations.

Hooker George, 34, succeeded Owen Farrell arsenic England skipper earlier past year's championship, but was replaced by Saracens team-mate Maro Itoje successful January.

"It was hard, it was difficult, it was frustrating and evidently past that makes you question if you tin bash it," helium told BBC Sport's Rugby Union Weekly podcast.

"I won't prevarication and accidental it didn't spell done my caput [finishing his England career] due to the fact that I didn't truly cognize however logistically it would enactment and if it would beryllium excessively awkward to beryllium coming backmost in. I didn't privation to tread connected immoderate toes."

George says helium consulted his father, uncle and woman connected his decision, and not each of them thought helium should proceed his planetary career.

"But yet it was 'what is your gut feel?" George added. "Initially I didn't cognize if I could spell back, but I watched the Ireland crippled [this year's Six Nations opener which helium missed done injury] and each I wanted to bash was beryllium backmost connected that tract due to the fact that I missed it."

Under George, England finished 3rd successful the 2024 Six Nations, but past suffered a tally of 5 successive defeats successful matches against New Zealand, Australia and South Africa crossed the summertime and autumn.

England won 5 of 12 Tests nether his stewardship.

George, who has picked up 3 Six Nations titles and played successful the 2019 World Cup final, said caput manager Steve Borthwick broke the quality to him implicit java successful a "pretty to-the-point" speech successful St Albans.

"I deliberation helium was amazed by maine questioning myself," added George. "I deliberation it would deed anyone hard. It was a occupation that I loved, I was incredibly arrogant to beryllium capable to bash it and I felt I was astatine the commencement of something. It was a surprise."

George added that helium would person preferred to person fixed much clip to digest the quality privately, with his speech with Borthwick coming lone a time earlier Itoje's promotion was made public.

Upon his appointment, Itoje described George arsenic "a large person and leader" who had led the squad "brilliantly", portion Borthwick explained that having a skipper who was connected the transportation for 80 minutes, alternatively than, similar astir beforehand rows, replaced midway done the 2nd half, was 1 origin successful his decision.

George said helium is present taking inspiration from cricketer Joe Root, who was successful a akin concern successful 2022 erstwhile the England Test captaincy was passed to Ben Stokes.

"His batting improved importantly disconnected the backmost of not being skipper immoderate much and helium looked freed up and enjoying himself and inactive contributing a immense magnitude and them valuing his leadership," said George.

"I americium not saying I americium the Joe Root of the England rugby team, but I person taken inspiration from that."

George, who said the captaincy going to Itoje "eased maine a batch arsenic I cognize however bully Maro is", is poised to triumph his 100th England headdress successful Sunday's lucifer against Italy.

The Saracen replaced Luke Cowan-Dickie disconnected the seat to assistance his squad to nail-biting wins implicit France and Scotland successful their past 2 matches.

George inactive has large ambitions successful the athletics and wants to spell connected a 3rd British and Irish Lions circuit this summertime and correspond England astatine the 2027 World Cup, some of which are successful Australia.

He, on with chap beforehand enactment Ellis Genge, is present an England vice-captain.

George made his England debut arsenic a replacement for Tom Youngs successful a 25-20 decision by France earlier the 2015 World Cup.

He helped England triumph a Six Nations Grand Slam successful 2016 and clasp their rubric successful 2017 arsenic Eddie Jones' squad went connected a tally of 18 successive Test victories - but each his appearances came from the seat arsenic past skipper Dylan Hartley dominated the fig 2 shirt.

Instead, George's archetypal Test commencement came for the British and Irish Lions connected their circuit of New Zealand successful the summertime of 2017. George started each 3 matches against the All Blacks successful a drawn series, earlier yet making his archetypal England commencement against Samoa astatine Twickenham successful November that year.

"I ne'er thought I would beryllium here, ever, successful a cardinal years," helium said. "Genuinely it is surreal. I americium blown distant by it all.

"The full travel has not been straightforward, but you benignant of larn and you get your caput down. I learnt beauteous aboriginal connected that I had to beryllium resilient and toughen up a bit. I consciousness that I person done that well.

"I americium arsenic ambitious present arsenic I was erstwhile I was 25 and I archetypal came into the team."

George is poised to go the seventh antheral subordinate to triumph 100 England caps aft Ben Youngs (127), Dan Cole (118), Jason Leonard (114), Owen Farrell (112), Courtney Lawes (105) and Danny Care (101).