England lock Maro Itoje calls for World Rugby to narrow gap between first and second tier nations, as Steve Borthwick’s side prepare for World Cup free hit against Samoa

England lock Maro Itoje claims he would like to play a Test match in Samoa and has urged World Rugby to close the gap between first and second tier countries.

Itoje has played just once against Samoa, at Twickenham in 2017, and England have not toured the Pacific Islands.

The Nations Cup will start in 2026, potentially excluding countries such as Samoa and Chile from an annual competition dominated by the elite countries.

It could be a pivotal moment for the future of rugby and Itoje believes finding the right structural balance is crucial.

“I would like to see us have a conversation where there is no such thing as level two, or where level two starts with countries ranked below 20,” Itoje said.

The English lock suggested it could be ‘brilliant’ for the game if the levels were removed completely

‘That would be a brilliant evolution of the game. I spoke to some Chileans after the last match and they said that when they came here it was one of the first times they played on soft grass.

‘They said it was nice to make contact in France because the grass was soft and green. Back in Chile, it’s all tough and tough.

“So all these things are structural issues and if we can get on top of them, it would be brilliant if more countries like Chile reached the level of Argentina or above, or Portugal reached the level of the teams in the Six Nations.”

He added: “We have seen the general level of play from second-tier countries go through the roof during this World Cup. We’re starting to see the boundaries between level one and level two blur, which is brilliant.

“I think the global challenge is what they can be like during non-Rugby World Cup times.

“The challenge for World Rugby is to ensure they have the support to be able to do that on a consistent basis, over the years and between World Cup campaigns.”

England have a free-kick against Samoa next week, having already booked their place in the quarter-finals with a game to spare.

It could be the first time that center Manu Tuilagi has played against his ancestral nation, ahead of a likely quarter-final against Fiji in Marseille.

Itoje said Chilean players told him they had never played on soft grass before the World Cup

England will take on Samoa in their final pool match, having already qualified for the quarter-finals

When asked if he would support a trip to the Pacific Islands, Itoje said: “Yes, why not, if we can do it. From a selfish point of view, rugby has given me the opportunity to go all around the world, to places I probably wouldn’t have gone otherwise. If that’s possible, why not, that would be great.’

For Itoje, next week’s final pool match in Lyon will be a chance to lock horns with his Saracens teammate Theo MacFarland.

A former international basketball player, MacFarland was the Premier League’s standout player in 2022 before being sidelined by a long-term injury.

“Theo has great athletic gifts,” Itoje said. “He played basketball, so the way he holds the ball in his hand, the way he controls the ball, he has great ability.

‘But the great thing about Theo is that he also has a good mentality. It’s not just, “Oh yeah, I’m athletic, I’m talented, let’s see what happens,” he wants to improve, he wants to get better, he wants to thrive.

“I remember seeing him when he first came to Saracens and from there to where he was when he was injured, it’s not even night and day, it’s Pluto and Earth.

‘I have played with and against many Samoans in the Premier League. They are a combative side, they are incredibly physical, they play the game with a lot of passion.”