England hooker Jamie George will not be his country’s captain at the Six Nations (Image: GETTY)
hooker Jamie George had no idea he would be stripped of the captaincy for his country until the day before Steve Borthwick named his squad.
George captained England in all 12 of their Test matches last year but by his Saracens team-mate Maro Itoje during the Six Nations.
England finished third at the tournament last year after defeating Italy, Wales and Ireland.
But they went on to suffer three consecutive defeats to New Zealand during the second half of last year before losing against Australia and South Africa.
George’s coach at Saracens Mark McCall was asked for his thoughts on the England captaincy change.
And the 57-year-old explained: “There are always going to be different emotions – and disappointment is an obvious one, especially when you hear it less than 24 hours before it is announced and it takes you a little bit by surprise.
“All I have seen from Jamie has just been him being a phenomenal team-mate. He never had to have the badge of captain to be a good leader.
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England have named Maro Itoje as their captain ahead of the Six Nations (Image: GETTY)
“He has never been formally captain at this club, but he has been one of the most important people and most important voices for quite a long time.”
And McCall added: “Maro always knows the best way for him to lead is by actions and he has done that for years. The same as Jamie – he doesn’t have to be captain to be a leader, he was leading anyway.
“He has been helped by the leadership group around him and Jamie is a big part of that.”
England will get their Six Nations campaign underway in Ireland on Saturday, February 1, with their final match coming at the Principality Stadium against Wales six weeks later.
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And after confirming his squad for the tournament, England head coach Borthwick said: “I’ve selected a squad where every player brings something unique to the group. The Six Nations is always a fiercely contested and exciting tournament, and this year will be no exception.
“We’re looking forward to the squad coming together in Girona to kick off our preparations for the opening challenge against Ireland in Dublin.
“With 88 England caps, Maro has been a central figure in this squad for many years, bringing a vast amount of experience both on and off the field.
“He’s a calm, influential leader, renowned for his commitment to upholding high standards and his ability to motivate those around him.”