5 Things to Know About Lions call-up Maro Itoje, including how he's related to Ollie Thorley

The 26-year-old not being selected for this tour was inconceivable, no matter where England finished in the Six Nations.

He is a force of nature. In a beaten team, he still makes a huge impact. In massive games, you know he will turn up. 

Here are five things you should know about the England and Saracens second-row.

It is commonly known that Itoje is the cousin of Bath's loosehead prop Beno Obano. However Gloucester speedster Ollie Thorley is also technically Itoje’s cousin after his grandfather re-married a Nigerian woman who is the Saracens lock’s aunt.

His full name is much more of a mouthful. The lock was born Oghenemaro Miles Itoje in Camden, London on 28 October 1994 to Nigerian parents.

The current England star writes poetry in his free time and tried his hand at modelling too. Maro starred alongside Amelia Windsor, cousin of Prince Harry, on a sports luxe-themed Tatler shoot for their October 2018 issue. Rumours in the press followed that the pair had begun dating, but this was never confirmed or denied by the second-row.

Itoje is called 'The Pearl' by Saracens and England team-mates for a perceived preciousness to the sides he plays in.

As a schoolboy, Itoje played several sports including basketball, football, rugby and athletics, representing England at U17 level in shot put.