“I try to have a daily amount of time that I spend, whether that is reading the Bible or praying, ideally both,” he explains.
“I also try and do Bible study once or twice a week at least.
“I am going to try and maintain the system I have over in Australia, with Zoom and Whatsapp video calls.”
Itoje’s previous Lions tours have come down to the wire.
In New Zealand, his team was ahead for only three minutes across three Tests, but came away with a drawn series.
In South Africa, four years later, Morne Steyn’s kick, two minutes from time in the deciding third encounter, dashed the tourists’ dreams.
The margins are small. The emotions are vast. The pressure is a thousand leagues deep.
It can scramble the composure of the best. But Itoje has his philosophy and his peace.
“Sport is unpredictable, you don’t know how things are going to transpire,” he says.
“Sometimes you can deserve to win and lose, and sometimes you can deserve to lose and win – there is not necessarily rhyme or reason for that.
“You have to just stay as consistent as possible through your actions and hope, through it all, you end up in the place you are supposed to be.”
Faith is just one part of a hinterland as wide as the outback. Itoje describes himself as having a “portfolio existence” off the pitch.
The Akoje Gallery, which Itoje founded in 2023, is a prominent part
“There is a commercial aspect to it – we want to sell art – but we also want to propel and promote art, particularly African art,” he says.
“It is a massive market and full of talent and we want to help provide opportunities for artists in our care.”