LONDON (AP) — England rugby captain Maro Itoje will begin the Six Nations tournament as a reserve.
Itoje was named on the bench Monday for England's opening game against Wales at Twickenham.
When he steps on the field on Saturday, the second-row forward will take over as captain. Hooker Jamie George will lead the team from the start.
According to statistics company Opta, it will be the first Six Nations match that Itoje starts on the bench since his tournament debut in 2016 and he has played the full match in 43 of his 44 appearances in the championship since then.
Itoje, who led the British and Irish Lions on their test series-winning tour of Australia last year, has been grieving the death of his mother, Florence. She died in December at the age of 66.
England coach Steve Borthwick has been increasingly happy in some games to stack his bench with first-teamers who can enter in the second half and ensure the team's performance levels do not dip.
Also among the reserves against Wales, for example, is Lions flanker Tom Curry.
England is expected to rival France and Ireland for the Six Nations title this year.
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FILE - The French team players including Antoine Dupont, center, celebrate with the trophy after the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, file)
The winter transfer window will close in Europe's top leagues on Monday, meaning clubs have just a few more hours to reshape their squads for the final months of the season.
Much focus will be on the big-spending Premier League, where English clubs have already splashed out an estimated $450 million. Manchester City — the heaviest spender in the last winter window — has had the biggest outlay so far, with winger Antoine Semenyo and center back Marc Guehi costing a combined $115 million.
Will Liverpool look to strengthen its injury-hit defense? The English champions are reportedly interested in signing young center back Jérémy Jacquet from French club Rennes ahead of him joining in the summer.
Will Crystal Palace sell France striker Jean-Philippe Mateta? British broadcaster Sky Sports reported a potential transfer to Italian giant AC Milan won't be happening.
Will there be any ins or outs at Chelsea, a club that has been very active in the transfer market in recent years? And might Premier League leader Arsenal move late to find a replacement for injured midfielder Mikel Merino?
It was a slow start to deadline day, with few major moves getting sealed, but there's still time. The transfer window shuts in England, France, Germany and Italy at 1900 GMT and in Spain at 2259 GMT.
Atletico Madrid was close to signing Nigeria forward Ademola Lookman from Atalanta and reportedly interested in Mexico midfielder Obed Vargas from the Seattle Sounders.
Atletico previously sold midfielder Conor Gallagher to Tottenham and let Giacomo Raspadori go to Atalanta.
Also in this window, Barcelona brought back fullback João Cancelo on a loan from Al-Hilal, while veteran goalkeeper Marc-André Ter Stegen, who had lost his position as a starter to Joan García, was sent to fellow Catalan club Girona on loan.
Real Madrid stayed quiet, with its only transaction being the loan of young Brazil forward Endrick to Lyon.
Leipzig signed two players on Monday: Germany youth international Brajan Gruda on loan from Brighton and 18-year-old winger Ayodele Thomas from PSV Eindhoven.
AP Sports Writers Ciaran Fahey in Berlin and Tales Azzoni in Madrid contributed to this story.
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Manchester City's Marc Guehi runs out onto the pitch ahead of making his debut for City, as he takes part in the warm up before the start of of the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers in Manchester, England, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)
