England Rugby: Maro Itoje will 'come back better' after rest

England assistant coach Richard Wigglesworth has defended the decision to rest captain Maro Itoje for England's match against world champions South Africa on 4 July 2026. Wigglesworth, who played alongside Itoje at Saracens and for England before moving into coaching, believes the rest period will benefit Itoje in the long run. The senior assistant coach expressed confidence that Itoje will return stronger after missing the upcoming fixture.