Maro Itoje urges England to show character In Paris

England captain Maro Itoje says the team’s final Six Nations match against France must become a test of character rather than simply a tactical contest, with the side looking to restore pride after a difficult championship.

Maro Itoje Calls For England Character Against France

Itoje said the trip to Paris is about showing what this England side truly stands for after a disappointing run of results. He stressed that the key issue is not specific tactical calls or set-piece details, but whether the players can demonstrate resilience, commitment and unity in a high-pressure environment.

“It’s not about ‘oh, we want to kick here, we want to run here, we want to do this line-out move’. This game is not about that,” he said.

“This game is about showing each other and showing our fans what we are really about, what we are truly about.

“This game is an opportunity for us to show the character of this team. And I genuinely believe this team is going somewhere. Unfortunately, as of late we haven’t been able to put that consistently on the park.

“But this is a brilliant opportunity and perhaps this opportunity is necessary for us to be the team we need to be, against a good quality French side, in their own backyard. We have the opportunity to go out there and give the very best of ourselves".

England head into the final round having lost three matches in a row after opening the tournament with a win over Wales.

England Seek Respectability In Six Nations Finale

A fourth successive defeat would leave England with one of their worst championship finishes of the modern era. France, meanwhile, remain in the title race and enter the match with clear motivation of their own.

Itoje acknowledged the scale of the challenge in Paris but framed it as an opportunity for England to show progress despite recent setbacks. He said the team still believes it is moving in the right direction even if performances have not yet reflected that consistently.

“When we played France last year they were heavy favourites (England won 26-25),” he said. “We’ve played a number of teams in the past and won games where the other side has been the favourites.

“I’m sure we were the favourites against Italy last weekend and I think a lot of people have lost a lot of money at Cheltenham betting on favourites. Being the favourite is neither here nor there.

“There are core aspects of our game, despite the losses, that have been going reasonably well. We just need to bring the best of ourselves and I think we can do a job.

“Despite the losses, how I feel at the moment hasn’t actually changed since the start of the competition."