England
Maro Itoje and Sam Burgess can lay World Cup marker in Premiership final - Dallaglio
Rob Bartlett
May 29, 2015
Maro Itoje of Saracens looks on
Maro Itoje of Saracens looks on© Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images

Former England captain Lawrence Dallaglio expects a battle of the blindsides in Saturday's Aviva Premiership final, with Saracens' Maro Itoje and Bath's Sam Burgess aiming to lay down a Rugby World Cup marker.

Both players have been included in Stuart Lancaster's initial training squad and will end successful seasons with their respective clubs when they come face-to-face at Twickenham.

Itoje has made a big impact since breaking into the first team at Allianz Park and can play in a number of positions in the pack. Add to that him captaining England to Junior World Championship victory last June - and his political studies away from rugby - and Dallaglio believes Lancaster will have something to think about.

"He's a young man on his way up. The signs are that he has everything required to go to the very top," Dallaglio told ESPN. "He certainly doesn't look out of place in the Aviva Premiership and he's been a huge part of why Saracens have been so successful this season.

"He can play in a number of different positions. He looks a bright and intelligent lad and he's tremendously athletic. He's done well in what is an incredibly competitive environment at a young age, which is great.

"There's versatility there. In the modern game, versatility is seen as such a key strength because games change in different ways at different times. If you've got someone on the bench, particularly for Saracens, who can cover a number of different positions then it gives you lots of good options.

"I'm sure he would see himself in the back row because he's got that athleticism, great speed and the skill to be there. That's not to say you don't need all those qualities in the second row, but maybe time will tell with Maro. He looks equally comfortable in any of those positions.

"I remember England taking a very young, uncapped Joe Worsley to the 1999 World Cup [he featured twice in the tournament]. While nothing is set in stone, there are places up for grabs and Maro Itoje could end up being one of those players who has a late run on the rails.

"Why wouldn't you take an uncapped player to the World Cup if they're good enough? If they are, they should be there. We all remember very fondly what Joe Worsley achieved in the game - he got that first cap against Tonga in the 1999 World Cup and went on to achieve great things afterwards."

Burgess, who moved to Bath from rugby league side the Rabbitohs last year, finds himself in a similar situation. The 26-year-old initially started his union career at inside centre, but a recent switch to blindside has proved more comfortable.

Bath primarily see his long-term future in the forwards but England remain open-minded on where best to play him, with Lancaster even mooting the idea of a "hybrid" position.

However, Dallaglio said: "He's a forward, certainly for now. But he's a forward who has got the option to play in the back line if needs be - that could prove to be an interesting selection dilemma for England. I'm sure the coaches are arguing now about how many forwards to take as part of that final 31-man squad.

"The omission of Manu Tuilagi creates an opportunity for a star player like Burgess, who can play in both positions, or someone like Elliot Daly, who perhaps ordinarily may not have been going. Now they've both got a realistic chance.

"The big plus for Sam Burgess is he's there on merit. Mike Ford picked him to start at number six in the biggest game of Bath's recent history [the semi-final against Leicester], which tells you everything you need to know. He has not been picked for sentimental reasons - he has been picked because he deserves to be there.

"He has got great qualities as a player but he's clearly got great qualities as a person and a leader. He's one of those guys with an aura around him and he's got an infectious enthusiasm that rubs off on the rest of his Bath team-mates. He's there on merit so let's see how he gets on in the next couple of weeks - it'll be interesting to see how it pans out."

Lawrence Dallaglio is one of the stars of Rugby Matters, a new documentary from Aviva that demonstrates the power of rugby and community spirit in the build-up to the Aviva Premiership Rugby Final. Watch the film at youtube.com/AvivaUK.

© Rob Bartlett

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