Jamie George Defends Maro Itoje Over Actions In Blues Game

Jamie George has insisted the British and Irish Lions will keep on celebrating “small victories” as Maro Itoje did against the Blues.

Itoje jumped around back-slapping his teammates when the Lions forced a turnover penalty late on against the Blues on Wednesday night, and has been criticised for his behaviour on social media.

The Saracens lock believed that was a real momentum turner at the time and was enough to seal the game, only for the Lions to leak a late try thanks to some Blues magic.

“I’ve been coached since I was 14 to celebrate stuff like that, so I don’t think we’re going to be changing any time soon,” said George

“It’s a huge positive. In that example against the Blues we were defending for a long time and it’s an important part of the game. At Saracens especially, we’re told to celebrate the small victories. We often celebrate if we get a turnover because we want to celebrate the effort of the players around us.

“You’re putting in a huge amount of effort to try and get the ball back, that’s why you defend, isn’t it? It was a refereeing decision but it was off the back of all the work our team-mates had done.

“Maro brings a huge amount of energy to people around him and him celebrating that shows he cares. It’s all intrinsic with Maro, he just cares about the team a huge amount and when he reacts like that, it lifts everyone else around him.

“I think you look at a lot of the English guys I’ve played with, guys at Saracens, we’re very similar in that respect. It shows we care for the jersey, we care for the people around us, we care for our families.

“Those are the people we’re representing whenever we go onto the field. Maro is a very proud person, I know that, and that’s probably the reason he reacted the way he did and I don’t see any issue with it.”

[Sky Sports]