Maro Itoje joins Siya Kolisi by signing for rapper Jay-Z's sports management company
Rugby NewsMonday, 23 November 2020 at 09:22
England star Maro Itoje has signed a deal with Roc Nation Sports International, the agency founded by hip hop mogul Jay-Z.
He's the latest rugby star to sign up, following in the footsteps of Springbok stars Cheslin Kolbe and Siya Kolisi.
Roc Nation Sports is a division of the hip-hop mogul’s entertainment company Roc Nation.
The agency, represents more than 70 athletes across fields such as basketball, baseball, boxing and American football.
LIST | 6 things you definitely didn’t know about Maro Itoje
Here we look at five lesser known facts about the 26-year-old lock.
1. His full name
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.
2. Family
He is the cousin of Bath's loosehead prop Beno Obano. Gloucester speedster Ollie Thorley is also Itoje’s cousin, after his grandfather re-married a Nigerian woman who is the Saracens lock’s aunt.
3. Future prime-minister?
Maro got a rugby scholarship to London Harrow school when he was 11. He then studied for a Politics degree at the School of Oriental and African Studies in Bloomsbury, London at the same time as starting his rugby career.
4. Dating
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.
5. Nickname
The Saracens second-row is nicknamed 'the pearl'. He was given the name by one of his teammates at the Christmas social after he wore a cream turtleneck and the name has stuck.
6. Football
Maro Itoje dream team includes Lomu & Warburton
The Maro Itoje dream team of rugby players past and present could compete with any team from any generation of rugby.
BACK-THREE
- Fullback: Anthony Watson (England)
- Winger: Liam Williams (Wales)
- Winger: Jonah Lomu (New Zealand)
CENTRES
- Centre: Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland)
- Centre: Manu Tuilagi (England)
HALFBACKS
- Fly-half: Owen Farrell (England)
- Scrum-half: Ben Youngs (England)
FRONT-ROW
- Prop: Mako Vunipola (England)
- Hooker: Jamie George (England)
- Prop: Tadhg Furlong (Ireland)
SECOND-ROW
- Lock: Alun Wyn Jones (Wales)
- Lock: Paul O'Connell (Ireland)
BACK-ROW
- Blindside-flanker: Richard Hill (England)
- Openside-flanker: Sam Warburton (Wales)
- Number 8: Billy Vunipola (England)
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- Jordie Barrett over Damian de Allende is far from being correct. The hype around Dupont is also overreaching, he's probably 4th in the world and has been since the 2023 WC. He also avoids certain matchups which is strange. The rest of the list is pretty good apart from minor subjective biases.JasonMarlow16-09-2026
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