Maro Itoje has a knack for finding the right words at the right time.

He is guaranteed to return home as a series-winning British & Irish Lions captain, but he wants more: a 3-0 series win against the Wallabies and nine wins from nine matches in Australia.

The magic of this Qatar Airways Lions Men's Test Series lies in how it suspends rivalries for a common cause, and the significance of what could unfold in Sydney is not lost on Itoje.

“We’re four different nations, different ideologies, different ways of playing the game. It’s why they say the Lions shouldn’t really work,” he said.

“People have bought in and we’ve built bonds. It’s what makes being a Lion so special: playing with these talented players and gaining their respect.

“There is a rarity to Lions rugby, it's over so fast. You get one shot and no one can be guaranteed a place on the next Tour. If we don’t take this chance, we may never get another one. You want to be a winning Lion; you want to be part of that esteemed group.

“We owe it to ourselves and to each other to do it again. This will already be a memorable Tour, but we want it to live long in the memory, and part of the way to do that is by getting the win in Sydney.

“Winning a Lions Test series is extremely special, but what would be an absolute dream would be to go out there, perform to the level we know we can reach, and win the third game.

“There is still a feeling that we haven’t put it together in the way we know we can. We want to chase down the performance we have been searching for.”

On the eve of his formal appointment as Lions captain, Itoje dined over steak and seafood in London with a brotherhood of Lions legends: Martin Johnson, Brian O’Driscoll, Sam Warburton, Alun Wyn Jones and others – a red thread that dates back to Robert Seddon, who led the team to New Zealand aboard the SS Kaikoura in 1888.

Itoje’s leadership potential has been spoken of since his schoolboy rugby days, and it has only been reinforced by two previous Tours of duty with the Lions: in 2017 as the youngest player in New Zealand, and four years ago with a series of standout performances against the Springboks.

Thoughtful and articulate, with an intense work ethic his schoolteachers once described as “scary”, he is a captain straight from central casting, and the perfect choice for the furnace of a tour Down Under.

“When Andy [Farrell] asked me to do this job, I felt I was ready,” he added. “It never felt too much of a step. You realise the responsibility, but everything that came before felt like the right preparation.”

Itoje has certainly led by example, named player of the match in the decisive second Test win in Melbourne. His consistency and high standards set a benchmark for others.

His contribution to the team is not just line-out steals, bulldozing runs, tackle after tackle and his opportunism at the breakdown. He throws everything into every moment.

Forwards coach John Dalziel has seen this first-hand and insists there has been no loss of focus in training this week, despite the emotions of what unfolded in front of a record 90,307 fans in Melbourne.

“The job is not done in any shape or form. We have a really motivated group and there is only one way we want this to end – to go unbeaten and try to win 3–0,” he said.

“We do not want anything to derail it, and we have to find that energy and go again. Australia are a good side and they are going to be good again. They will be motivated, playing here.

“There is still a performance in us. We have had 40 minutes in both of the Tests, but we want a full 80 minutes to show what the Lions are about.”