After Itoje’s appointment as captain for the tour of Australia by Andy Farrell, Harry Latham-Coyle charts the journey of the player who emerged as the outstanding candidate for one of rugby’s greatest

Maro Itoje becomes the 47th Lions captain since 1888, the first Black player to captain the side and only the third Englishman in the last 89 years to be appointed tour leader.

Maro Itoje has been named captain of the British and Irish Lions for this summer's tour of Australia. Itoje, 30, becomes the second Englishman to captain the Lions in the professional era, following Martin Johnson who led the tourists in both 1997 and 2001. Itoje was confirmed as Lions skipper at an event at London's O2 Arena on Thursday.