George to captain England in Nations Championship as Itoje rested

England head coach Steve Borthwick has rested captain Maro Itoje for the inaugural Nations Championship, with Jamie George set to take the armband for the fixtures against South Africa, Fiji, and Argentina. George captained England for 12 Tests in 2024 before Itoje took the armband the following year and will lead the side in his Saracens colleague's absence.

Borthwick had previously expressed a desire to rest Itoje after what he called a "challenging year", including a British and Irish Lions tour, a demanding Six Nations campaign, and the death of his mother in November, alongside his…