England hope to bring more artistic expression to their game in Saturday's Six Nations send-off against Grand Slam-hunters France, but Maro Itoje didn't appear to find any inspiration in the Mona Lisa.
The 2019 Rugby World Cup runners-up face France on home soil requiring a win in order to guarantee they won't finish fifth for the second straight year. A record defeat at home to Ireland last Saturday has left Eddie Jones ' side with two losses and two defeats ahead of their trip to the Stade de France, where they've suffered defeat in their last two visits.
In a break from tradition, England advanced their travel plans by two days and gave the squad some additional time to get settled. Usually, these trips tend to be all business with little by way of free time, but Itoje and his team-mates were able to stretch their legs a little in preparation for a highly pressurised fixture.
“I have been to Paris quite a few times before both with rugby and for pleasure," the Saracens star told reporters. "I had seen a few of the sights before but I saw the Eiffel Tower, went to see Ms Lisa, first name Mona, so I went to the Louvre. It has just been nice to see some of the sights.”
The Mona Lisa once broke the Guinness World Record for highest insurance value of a single item in the art market when, in 1962, it was given a $100million estimation. As of 2021, that value is understood to be worth $870m (£662m) in today's money, though paintings in museums are often not insured.
When quizzed on what he thought of Leonardo da Vinci 's famous piece, Itoje replied: “It’s alright, it’s not bad. It’s not bad. Da Vinci is not bad, but I kind of like Foster Sakyiamaha, I like Oluwole Omofemi. They are a bit more my style, but Da Vinci is not bad too.”
Do you think France will win the Grand Slam on Saturday? Let us know in the comments section.
Itoje's maiden Test match in Paris was also Jones' first as England coach and ended in a 31-21 victory in March 2016. He's overcome Les Bleus on three occasions since then, but each of those results took place at Twickenham, including a 23-20 win en route to last year's disappointing fifth-place outcome.
Jones has hailed Itoje's rise to seniority in recent months and even went back on his verdict that he didn't feel the player was suited to captain duties. There may be a temptation for England's players to throw in the towel with the title no longer on the line in Paris, but the British and Irish Lions star knows there's value to the fixture.
“It’s about the type of team and individuals we want to be,” he added before a key juncture in England's preparations ahead of next year's World Cup in France. "Ultimately, we are playing for the win and for each other. Playing against France is always competitive, but we’re playing for England here.
“This is an unbelievable opportunity for everyone in the team. Playing for England is an absolute honour and you can’t take these types of moments for granted. You never know when they’re going to come again. The future is not guaranteed, but what we can guarantee is living in the present. For us, we want to go out there and play our game."
Jones has spun the wheel in his selections and thrown George Furbank in for an unexpected start at full-back, moving Freddie Steward to the wing in an attempt to counter Gabin Villiere's threat. Nick Isiekwe will come in at lock, meanwhile, as Charlie Ewels begins a suspension following his 82-second dismissal against Ireland.
The 2022 Six Nations has been anything but a masterpiece so far for England, who still appear very much a work in progress in this latest chapter. And yet Itoje knows the potential is there to sign off with a flourish when they look to stare down France on a fresh canvas.
