Maro Itoje Hits Back at Eddie Jones' 'Inaccurate' Assessment, Rubbishes Acting Classes Claim
Itoje Rejects Jones' Criticism
Maro Itoje has strongly refuted Eddie Jones' criticism of his performances, calling the former England head coach's assessment "inaccurate." Jones had claimed thatItoje's recent dip in form was due to a lack of focus, suggesting that the Saracens lock had been distracted by acting classes.
Itoje, however, has vehemently denied this, stating that he has always been fully committed to his rugby career and that Jones' comments are completely unfounded.
Itoje's Rebuttal
In a statement released through his agent, Itoje said: "I am extremely disappointed by Eddie Jones' inaccurate assessment of my performances. To suggest that I have been distracted by acting classes is completely false and without foundation.
I have always been fully committed to my rugby career and have never allowed anything to interfere with my preparation or performance on the pitch."
Itoje went on to say that he was "proud" of his achievements in the game and that he would continue to strive to improve as a player.
Itoje's Impressive Record
Itoje's impressive record speaks for itself. The 28-year-old has won 61 caps for England and has been a key member of the team that has won two Six Nations titles and reached the final of the 2019 World Cup.
He is also a three-time European Champions Cup winner with Saracens and was named Premiership Player of the Year in 2019.
Jones' Departure from England
Jones' criticism of Itoje came just days after he was sacked as England head coach following a poor run of results.
The Australian had been in charge of the team since 2015 and had led them to victory in the 2016 Six Nations and to the final of the 2019 World Cup.
However, England's form had dipped significantly in recent months and they suffered a humiliating 27-13 defeat to the Barbarians in October.
Following this result, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) decided to part ways with Jones.
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