Maro Itoje is scheduled to be named captain of the British and Ireland Lions on Thursday ahead of his tour in Australia, sources confirmed to ESPN.
At 30, Itoje will become the second British man to captain tourists during his professional days.
The England skipper emerged as the honorary frontrunner after Kaelan Doris suffered a shoulder injury in Rainster’s Champions Cup defeat to Northampton on Saturday.
The official announcement comes on Thursday when Lions coach Andy Farrell named his team for the tour. Farrell is expected to nominate a 40-player group with 22 forwards and 18 backs.
The captain was long seen as a race between Doris and Itoje.
Farrell chose Doris as Ireland’s captain ahead of International last November.
Itoje is one of the few guaranteed starters in the Lions XV, who captained both the Saracens and the UK this season.
Itsje’s stock as a potential Lions captain grew during the Six Nations.
Doris led Ireland through the championship and was set to be a close call between the two until Doris picked up the injury on Saturday.
The length of time Doris will be on the sidelines when he undergoes shoulder surgery has yet to be announced, but the call to go with Ito suggests there is ample concern about the severity of Doris’ injuries.
Itoje follows in the footsteps of fellow British man Martin Johnson as he skips the Lions after Johnson earned honors on both the 1997 and 2001 tours.
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