About Maro Itoje

Maro ‘The Pearl’ Itoje is seen as one of the best rugby players in the world, playing at lock or blindside flanker for Saracens and the England national team. 

Signing his first professional contract in 2012 with Saracens and making his professional debut a year later, Itoje received his first call up to the senior England team in 2016, becoming a firm favourite with the fans. So far in his rugby career, he has won four English Premiership titles with Saracens, three European Rugby Champions Cup titles, and three Six Nations Championship titles.  

As a child

When an 11-year-old boy, Maro arrived at St George’s School, Harpenden (Hertfordshire) having never played rugby before. Rather, he was an exceptional 200 metre runner, basketball player and shot-putter - ranked second nationally at one point. However, Maro decided to focus on rugby, taking extra sessions early in the morning and at lunchtime to finetune his skills. It took him just eight years to go from playing rugby for the first time, to going professional. 

He secured a sports scholarship to Harrow School, where he demonstrated impressive academic proficiency attaining three As at A Level. He went on to leading university SOAS to study a politics degree and completed a MBA at Warwick Business School.

Education vital

One of three children, Maro is of Nigerian descent and extremely proud of his heritage. He has been outspoken on issues of racism and equality. 

Born to Nigerian parents who moved to the UK, the importance of education has long been instilled in Maro as a means to fulfil one’s full potential. Maro has tirelessly advocated for education improvements in the UK and now looks to Nigeria in the belief education is a right for every child, no matter where they live. 

He has been named in the 2023 ‘Powerlist’ for most influential black people in the UK, won the Leadership Award for his philanthropic work at the Best Of Africa Awards 2022 and has been named in Tatler’s Little Black Book 2022.