Maro Itoje’s promotion an admission of England’s urgent need for fresh impetus | Robert Kitson

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England no longer announce their new captains with a grand theatrical flourish,Back in 1996 Bath’s Phil de Glanville had to lie down in the back of the taxi taking him to Twickenham so no one could identify the skipper poised to replace Will Carling before he was unveiled dramatically from behind a large curtain like a nervous contestant in Stars in Their Eyes,Fast forward to 2025 and Maro Itoje, the 136th man chosen to lead his country, was not even present for his inauguration,People like to talk about spreading the rugby gospel and here was another example of how not to do it,A good news story (if not for poor old Jamie George) and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Itoje to strike a smiling pose for the snappers and propel English rugby back on to the front pages? Nah, we’ll just stick out a bog-standard press release.

Steve Borthwick, the head coach, was at least wheeled out to say how thrilled Itoje looked when he was informed of his new role and how disappointed George was to learn of his demotion,And to field the inevitable media questions which boiled down to two main lines of inquiry: was he making the switch because George is no longer guaranteed a starting place or was it more about signalling the need for a collective squad reset after a disappointing autumn?The truth probably resides at a postcode somewhere in between,In some ways it is a cosmetic tweak: one well-regarded Saracens forward is replacing another,At 34 George will struggle to make the next World Cup in 2027 while Itoje, who already has 88 caps, could have been lobbed the starting armband some time ago,As recently as 12 months ago, however, Borthwick was trumpeting a bold new post-World Cup era under George.

If it was all going swimmingly there would be no pressing need to throw everything up in the air again now.So as much as Itoje’s accession is due reward for a fine player who is regularly his side’s best forward it is also a tacit admission of England’s urgent need for fresh impetus.On that front there were only two realistic mid-season avenues open to Borthwick – shake up the squad or alter the messaging being delivered to them in the hope it encourages better results.After that the only other remaining option tends to be a change of head coach.It does come with one or two slight risks attached.

George was a highly popular captain, both inside and outside the squad, and has shouldered the chains of office with impeccable diplomacy.When England have lost games he has been impressively honest and upfront; should England go down to Ireland and France in their first two tough looking games it will be tricky for Borthwick to claim that Itoje’s captaincy has paid instant dividends and raise some doubts over the timing of the change, particularly if the loyal George is still picked to start.On the flipside, however, it allows Borthwick to draw a line under a disappointing year and sell the vision – again – of a brighter future.Itoje has been receiving positive notices as Saracens’ captain since being appointed last summer; he also has an excellent track record in terms of performance when the stakes are ramped up.Borthwick believes he will inspire other players around him to up their level and be the heartbeat of a rejuvenated, more purposeful pack.

Something else, too, may be underpinning Borthwick’s decision,The global game is changing and it is not getting any slower,Younger, ball-playing hookers who can carve up in open play – such as Theo Dan, Gabriel Oghre and, eventually, Bath’s Kepu Tuipulotu – are potentially the future,“England, historically, are a team with a big forward pack,” the head coach says,“I think that’s changed a little bit.

We’ve got a fast athletic back row, fast athletic backs and we’ll play accordingly.When we play fast, you see the team at its best.”Sign up to The BreakdownThe latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewedafter newsletter promotionWith that in mind, Borthwick will also be urging his players to start throwing the game-splitting offloads they do for their clubs, rather than feeling constrained by the extra weight of expectation at the highest level.“When I addressed the players last Monday, I spoke to them about exactly that,” he says.“I want to make sure when you are wearing the England shirt, you are giving those passes.

”Interesting, particularly in the light of Ben Spencer’s ejection from the squad in favour of the nippier trio of Alex Mitchell, Jack van Poortvliet and Harry Randall.England are also likely to row back slightly from last year’s high‑risk blitz defensive system and, despite the tournament‑wrecking injuries that have sidelined Immanuel Feyi‑Waboso, Sam Underhill and George Furbank, should now be able to assemble a more effective bunch of “finishers” than they did in the autumn.They also no longer have the issue of a captain who gets winched ashore after 50-odd minutes.Itoje is a start-to-finish man and, if necessary, George’s experience could be redeployed off the bench in the final half-hour.If Itoje’s England – as they are now – can start and finish more dynamically in Dublin next month then Borthwick’s leadership switcheroo will have paid off instantly.

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Thomasina Miers’ recipes for chilaquiles with smoky tomatillo salsa and black beans, and pink grapefruit mocktail

You wouldn’t think of nachos as a natural way to start the day, but then nachos are simply a (more delicious) copy of a dish found throughout Mexico, where the tortillas from the day before are fried or baked until crisp and tossed in a salsa of your choice. Here, I use the acidity of tomatillo, which is given some smokiness and heat by chipotle chillies, and add a fried or poached egg and a squeeze of lime to make a seriously good brunch.This is traditionally a breakfast dish, but I also love it for dinner. Cook the beans in advance and keep in the fridge, like a secret weapon.Prep 15 min Cook 1 hr 30 min Serves 4-6 2-3 tbsp oil Juice of 2 limes300g corn tortillas Salt and black pepper4-6 eggsFor the beans 60g butter, plus 1 tbsp extra 1 medium onion, peeled and finely diced 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped 1 tbsp chipotle en adobo 450g cooked black beans 1 star aniseFor the salsa 1 large red onion, peeled and cut into wedges3 garlic cloves, unpeeled 300g fresh plum tomatoes 1 red chilli 30g coriander, roughly chopped, plus extra leaves to serve1 tsp cumin seeds 2 tbsp chipotle en adobo About 300g jarred tomatillo salsa – I like the ones made by Gran Luchito and Cool Chile Company50ml extra-virgin olive oilTo serve 120ml soured cream 60-80g feta ½ red onion, peeled and very finely sliced 2 ripe avocados, halved, stoned, peeled and sliced Lime wedgesHeat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6

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Rukmini Iyer’s quick and easy recipe for beetroot and celeriac gratin with goat’s cheese and walnuts | Quick and easy

I make variations on beetroot gratin all the time, and this one with celeriac, dill and goat’s cheese is an absolute winner. You’ll want to use a mandoline (very carefully) for the celeriac, to make sure it’s sliced thinly enough to cook through in half an hour (alternatively, do everything in a food processor using the slicing/grating attachment). If you happen to have a bunch of salsify, or spot one when you’re out, by all means peel, slice and add that, too. This gratin tastes even better the next day, so it’s definitely worth having leftovers.Prep 15 min Cook 30 min Serves 4½ celeriac, peeled and very thinly sliced2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and very thinly sliced280g cream cheese 100ml full-fat milk 20g fresh dill, roughly choppedSea salt and black pepper 300g raw beetroot, peeled and grated200g goat’s cheese log, finely sliced40g panko breadcrumbs 50g walnuts, roughly broken1 tbsp olive oil Juice of ½ lemonHeat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7

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Rachel Roddy’s recipe for pisarei, or leftover bread pasta | A kitchen in Rome

Just like the other three bowls on the top shelf, the wooden salad bowl is full. However, unlike the other bowls, with their pick’n’mix of clothes pegs, coins, aspirin, Ikea pencils, cables, wet wipes, sunglasses, business cards, Kinder Surprise figures and Sellotape chewed by the dog, the salad bowl is a holding (or dumping) place for just one thing: bread crusts. In Italian, the crust of a loaf of bread is sometimes referred to as il culo or culetto, meaning bottom or little bottom, making this a bowl of bottoms.Its position on the highest shelf, plus the depth of the bowl, means I can’t be reminded of what’s inside until there are enough crusts that they start rising, like brown icebergs, above the rim. Then follows a period of days (or weeks) during which I keep seeing those tips, and reminding myself to do something with them, but don’t, so they continue to rise, and when the morning sun hits the shelves, I can see the dust drifting and settling

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Notes on chocolate: top marks, sparks fly at M&S

The supermarket chain’s new range is surprisingly delightfulRecently, for reasons we need not go into here, I hadn’t really been out much, having been confined to rest by an imaginary matron. So when my friend, Tamsin, offered to take me to a state-of-the-art Marks & Spencer in the next county (we live in the countryside) I jumped at the chance.It’s not as if I’ve never been to huge M&S in London – I’m a regular visitor to both of the big branches along Oxford Street. But not lately, because: matron.There is something intoxicating about being out and about after being largely confined to the house, isn’t there? I was like an overexcited child

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Soak up the rays: wines tasting of sunshine

Escape the gloom with these big red wines bursting with the flavours of warm countriesThe Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more.Cuevas de Arom Altas Parcelas, Calatayud, Spain 2021 (£18.99, shelvedwine

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Fonda, London: ‘An exuberantly good meal’: restaurant review

This new Mexican restaurant serves up regional dishes so well crafted that conversation stopsFonda, 12 Heddon Street, London W1B 4BZ. Starters and small plates £7-£14, larger plates £23-£29, desserts £6-£11, wines from £39At Fonda, a new Mexican restaurant off London’s Regent Street, the staff have vital information and, boy, are they determined to impart it. Usually, speeches about ingredients and the best way to eat your lunch, feel like a nail puncture purposefully engineered to let all the air out of any fun you were hoping to have. Lunch becomes an exam to be passed. Am I doing this right? Will the staff approve? Oh, the social anxiety