Maro Itoje at 100: England captain, centurion, and all-time appearance holder?

Series-winning British and Irish Lions captain. England captain. Saracens captain.

There is little left in rugby for Maro Itoje to achieve, but against Ireland on Saturday, he will add yet another accomplishment to his extensive resume.

Itoje will win his 100th England cap when he leads the team out at Allianz Stadium – a feat achieved by only eight players before him.

“I am very honoured, very humbled,” he told Sky Sports. “It’s a great milestone to almost achieve. Obviously, it’s not Saturday yet, but it’s amazing and I just feel so privileged to be a part of this team.”

The moment will also carry a profound personal weight, coming so soon after the passing of his mother in December.

“In many ways, it’s going to be a little bit sad that my mother is not here to witness this in the flesh,” Itoje said. “But she will be there in spirit. And I know she’ll be cheering down from the heavens.”

Itoje’s England journey began with his 2016 Six Nations debut against Italy at the Stadio Olimpico.

He quickly established himself in Eddie Jones’ Grand Slam‑winning side, laying the foundations for a decade at the pinnacle of the sport.

As is often the case when such milestones approach, there is a clamour to uncover the secret to sustained success and longevity. In Itoje’s case, the explanation is far simpler.

“Ultimately, it’s the grace of God,” he said. “There’s an element of luck in this. This is my 10th year playing for England. To play that long consistently, you have to be a little bit lucky in terms of injury.

“I’m obviously very professional with recovery, but there’s an element of luck to not have big spells out.

“I’ve just tried to be as consistent as I can – through the good times, through the not‑so‑good times – just stay consistent. If you do that over the long run, you tend to be in a good position.”

Itoje has already won multiple Premiership, Champions Cup and Six Nations titles, including that 2016 Grand Slam – still England’s most recent.

Yet despite a trophy cabinet few can match, the second row has his sights set on the one piece of silverware that has eluded England for more than two decades.

“The short‑term goal is to win on Saturday,” he said. “I think we have a great chance of being successful this campaign, so we very much want to focus on this campaign.

“Obviously, the World Cup is a huge goal of ours. We want to build towards the World Cup and win that World Cup in Australia in 2027.”

With Itoje set to become a centurion at just 31, surpassing Ben Youngs’ record 127 caps may yet come into view – though it is not something he is chasing.

“It’s never been my goal to be England’s most‑capped player,” he said. “If it happens, it’s not a bad thing. I won’t say no. But what I’m really concerned about is impact.

“I want to play really impactful games where I’m making a difference for England. And however that happens, I think that’s the most important thing.”