Following rumors that a renegade breakaway league is trying to sign the game’s top players, Maro Itoje claims that playing for England is “the Mecca” for him and his teammates.
Joining any international start-up competition would put a Test career on hold because the Rugby Football Union (RFU) only selects players for the national squad from English clubs.
Itoje stated that he first learned about a possible breakaway league from media stories. “I don’t really know any of the details of it as yet, but wearing this rose is extremely important to me and my team-mates,” he said.
“Playing for England is the Mecca.”
Among the players who would sign a historic Elite Player Squad in October was second row Itoje.
