Lyon: England lock Maro Itoje was on Saturday named European Player of the Year for 2016 after a startling season. The 21-year-old Saracens player crowned a European Champions Cup winning campaign by being crowned man-of-the-match in the English club’s 21-9 victory over Racing 92 in Lyon.
Capped four times by England, Itoje was also an essential part of the national team that claimed the Six Nations Grand Slam, its first since 2003. Itoje, along with Saracens teammate George Kruis, are now set to be England’s first-choice lock-pairing when coach Eddie Jones takes the side to his native Australia for a three-Test series against the Wallabies in June.