Six Nations 2022: Maro Itoje a doubt for England’s clash with Ireland due to illness | Rugby Union News

Maro Itoje will miss Friday captain’s run and training session, although England are “cautiously optimistic” he will be able to feature against Ireland; forwards coach Richard Cockerill is isolating after testing positive for Covid-19

Maro Itoje is a doubt for England’s match against Ireland

Maro Itoje is a doubt for England’s crunch Six Nations clash with Ireland at Twickenham on Saturday after becoming unwell overnight.

Itoje was named to start in the second row when Eddie Jones announced his team on Thursday for the match against their title rivals.

However, the 27-year-old will now miss Friday’s captain’s run and training session due to feeling unwell, although England remain “cautiously optimistic” he will have recovered in time to feature.

One man who will be absent for the hosts though is forwards coach Richard Cockerill, who has tested positive for Covid-19.

Cockerill returned a positive lateral flow test on Friday morning and a subsequent positive PCR result confirmed the result later in the day.

All of the other England players and staff members have undergone daily lateral flow testing this morning before training, all of which returned negative results.